Mummy
by The Goddess of StoryTelling
Summary: Rick brought his sister only to watch his back who knew she would find some reason to disobey his orders. Yes people another sister fic but I would love for you to review and it's longer then it seems my computer just wouldn't let me turn it into chapter.


_Arabic_

**Hebrew ****(Thoughts)**

_**Ancient Egyptian (Flashbacks)**_

It is never easy being Rick O'Connell's sister but I had done my best now was the moment of truth. I had learned from one of our dear friends that Rick had been put in jail I was planning on getting the warden to let him out but my plan was spoiled when I saw he had no intention of letting him go and Rick was going to hang.

"You told me you got it on a dig down in Thebes." I heard someone say I saw a young woman holding onto the arm of a young man, possibly brother and sister considering they bickered as Rick and I did.

"Yes well I was mistaken." He said.

"You lied to me!" She said he looked at her.

"I lie to everybody what makes you so special?" He asked making me muffle a giggle.

"I am your sister." She said making me realize I wasn't the only woman who had an idiot for a brother.

"Yes well that just makes you more gullible." He said turning back towards me as they approached the cell where I would see my brother.

"Jonathan you stole it from a drunk at the local casbah!" the woman proclaimed making Jonathan look at her in fear.

"Picked his pocket actually so I don't think it's a good idea to actually-" He said trying to pull her away but the woman turned back and stared at me. I quickly turned when I saw the warden approaching me again I knew better then to let him try anything so I kept my eyes on him.

"Oh for goodness sake Jonathan will you stop being so ridiculous? Now what exactly is this man in prison for?" the woman asked I had to wonder if this was family or a friend that she wanted to see.

"Well this I did not know but when I heard you were coming I asked him that myself." the warden said eyeing me with lust if I did not need to help my brother I would have punched him right then.

"And what did he say?" the woman asked obviously curious to the answer

"He said he was just looking for a good time." He said with a flick of his hand making me realize that this wasn't family or a friend to her it was mine she was talking about my brother I watched as two guards brought a bedraggled man out into the open I had to groan as Rick knelt in the sand and was hit on the back of the neck.

"Who are you and who are the broads?" Rick asked I scoffed silently knowing I should not have expected him to remember me.

"Nice to see you as well dear brother." I said smirking as he let his jaw drop in shock and horror I presumed as he finally recognized me.

"Sorry Raissa just proves I have spent too much time here when I can't even recognize my own sister." Rick said making me laugh quietly.

"Oh I'm just a local missionary chap spreading the good word and all but this is my sister Evie." Jonathan said pushing Evie forward.

"How do you do?" She asked nervously Rick smirked.

"Guess she's not a total loss." He said looking at her cheekily.

"I beg your pardon." She said before the warden began yelling making me want to cover my ears.

"I'll be back in a moment." the warden said Rick and I began to argue about his decisions on most of everything before remembering the two people next to us.

"Excuse me we uh we found your puzzle box and we've come to ask you about it." Evie said cutting my conversation with Rick short.

"No you came to ask me about Hamunaptra." He said calmly. My heart began to race he couldn't be talking about what I thought he was.

"How do you know the box pertains to Hamunaptra?" Evie asked quickly.

"Because that's where I was when I found it. I was there." he said as if he was talking to a five year old child.

"How do we know that's not a whole load of pig's wallow?" Jonathan asked as he knelt down and eyed Rick uncertainly.

"Hey, do I know you?" Rick asked pointing a finger at him.

"No I've just got one of those faces-" Jonathan rambled before Rick punched him, which earned a beating from the guards. I couldn't help but chuckle under my breath.

"You were actually at...Hamunaptra?" She asked as she stepped over her brother.

"Yeah, I was there," Rick answered with a smile.

"You swear?" Evie asked.

"Every dang day." He said happily making me grin he still had his sense of humor.

"No, I don't mean that." Evie said quickly not wanting him to go into detail on that.

"I know what you mean. I was there. Seti's place. 'City of the Dead'." Rick said obviously bored with the conversation.

"Could you...could you tell me how to get there?" She begged to know. "I mean the exact location."

"You wanna know?" He asked teasingly making me groan and roll my eyes.

"Well...well yes." She said not knowing where my brother was taking this conversation.

"Do you really wanna know?" Rick asked, as she stepped closer.

"Yes." She said breathlessly he beckoned her closer, and then kissed her right on the lips. I scowled for that was what usually landed him in jail in the first place.

"Then get me the heck outta here." He banged on the guards as they tried to pull him away. "Do it lady." He finished before the door shut.

"Where are they taking him?" Evie asked apparently in shock as the warden came back.

"To be hanged apparently he had a very good time." The warden said motioning us to follow him we did as Jonathan got himself up from the ground and followed us. As we made our way to the gallows Evie came up to me.

"I need your help I plan to save your brother do you know how to get the warden to let him go?" She asked I frowned sadly.

"Money that is the only way you would be able to but it would have to be a large amount otherwise he will never let him live." I said in a choked whisper Evie wrapped an arm around my shoulder and smiled I had to smile back as we took our seats beside each other. I saw Rick standing in front of me with a rope around his neck making me sick.

"I will give you one hundred pounds to save this man's life." Evie suddenly said I had to look and saw that the warden didn't even care my temper began to rise.

"Madam I would pay one hundred pounds just to see him hang." he said not noticing the glare I was giving him the rage continued to boil.

"Two, two hundred pounds." Evie said adding fuel to a fire if it meant saving my brother's life.

"Proceed." the warden said making the rage build and making me try to control myself as I reached for the knife in my waist pocket.

"Five hundred pounds." Evie said I looked at her as though she had just told him to jump in the Nile whatever Evie was hoping for I hoped she would pull through.

"And what else I am a very lonely man." He said rubbing his hand along Evie's thigh but she slapped it with her purse. I couldn't say I blamed her he then yelled something that shook Evie and I to the bone.

"NO!" We exclaimed simultaneously as we watched Rick plummet to the ground only to be stopped by the rope hanging around his neck.

"Aha! His neck did not break. Oh so sorry now we must watch him strangle to death." the warden replied as Evie sat down in shock I was shocked as I saw Rick fight to breathe.

"He knows the location to Hamunaptra." She said making him look at her incredulously.

"You lie!" he said.

"I would never!" Evie said appalled.

"You're telling me this filthy godless son of a pig knows where to find the city of the dead?" the warden replied gesturing towards Rick.

"Yes." Evie replied.

"Truly?" the warden asked.

"Yes and if you cut him down we'll give you ten percent." She said.

"Fifty." He demanded.

"Twenty." She shot back.

"Forty." He barked out.

"Thirty." Her voice lowered somewhat.

"Twenty-five." He said with a wave of his hand making me smile.

"Ah! Deal." Evie said making him realize what he had done.

"Ah! Cut him down." the warden said Rick fell to the ground I looked at Evie and smiled as we turned to look at Rick again.

Chapter Two

"Why am I coming with you?" I asked as we searched for Evie and Jonathan Rick had bought some new clothes and had his hair cut with the money I had given him. He started explaining but I was too busy trying to figure out a way to explain to him how I had sold almost everything I owned to try and pay his bail only none of it ever got to the jail.

"…Well personally I thinks he's filthy rude a complete scoundrel I don't like him one bit." She said as we walked up having finally found them.

"Anyone we know?" We asked simultaneously Evie turned and she was speechless not that I was surprised most women were taken by my brother but I never had the effect on men at least none that would love me for me and not for my body. Evie and I shared a hug while I shook Jonathan's hand.

"Oh…um hello." She stammered finally able to talk to my brother making me hide a chuckle behind a small cough.

"Smashing way to start an adventure eh, O'Connell?" Jonathan asked patting his shoulder and shaking his hand.

"Yeah…yeah smashing." Rick said taking out his wallet and checking it.

"Oh no I never steal from a partner, partner." Jonathan said trying to put him at ease.

"That reminds me no hard feelings about…" Rick mimed a punch making me giggle.

"Oh no happens all the time." He said with a nod. Evie then decided to join the conversation.

"Mr. O'Connell can you look me in the eye and guarantee this isn't some sort of flimflam because if it is I'm warning you…" Rick cut her off.

"You're warning me? Lady let me put it this way my whole dang garrison believed in this so much that without orders we marched halfway across Libya and into Egypt to find that city and when we got there all we found was sand and blood. Let me get your bags." Rick said picking them up and walking onto the ship.

"Yes, yes you're right filthy rude complete scoundrel nothing to like there at all." Jonathan whispered I giggled as Evie glared at him.

"Bright good morning to all." A familiar yet annoying voice said the three of us turned to see the warden standing there.

"Oh no what are you doing here?" Evie and I asked making us smile at each other as he answered.

"I am here to protect my investment thank you very much." He said walking up to the ship. As we began our journey to Hamunaptra I kept near Rick mostly because he kept his arm around me until I finally had enough and pushed it away as we approached a card game.

"Quit playing with your glasses and cut the deck, would you, Burns?" A man said as he slapped a pack of cards down in front of his friend.

"Without my glasses I can't see the deck to cut, can I, Daniels?" Burns replied smartly and with a rather handsome smile as he put his glasses on.

"Ah O'Connell sit down, sit down we could use another player." Jonathan said as he noticed that we had joined them.

"I only gamble with my life never my money." Rick said making me laugh every man stopped playing and looked at me it made me realize that these men I would definitely hate.

"Rick you say that then you lay down the money." I said before I felt someone's hand on my hip and it was moving further down. I pulled my gun out and pointed it at a blonde-haired man.

"You continue to do that and you will not have a hand." I said he removed it and backed off much to my enjoyment for he had shuddered when I threatened him.

"Never what if I was to bet you five hundred dollars says we get to Hamunaptra before you?" Daniels said as he dealt out the cards as though I had not just threatened his friend. Rick and I looked at each other.

"You're looking for Hamunaptra?" We said together.

"Dang straight we are." Henderson, the one I had threatened, said as he looked at his cards and made sure to stay out of my line of sight.

"And who says we are?" Rick inquired making me wonder who had given us away.

"He does." the three Americans said each one pointing a finger at Jonathan who chuckled.

"Well how about it? Is it a bet?" Daniels asked looking at us with a smile I sighed but dug in my pocket and pulled out five hundred dollars laying it in front of the men who were dumbstruck that a woman had all that money.

"Alright you're on." I challenged that made another man stare at us.

"What makes you so confident miss?" He asked as he peered over a pair of reading glasses I noticed that the book he was reading said '_Dr. Chamberlain's Notes_' on the cover giving me another new enemy.

"Well what makes you?" Rick asked still astonished that I would lay down that much money so quickly.

"Well we got us a man who's actually been there." Henderson said as I picked up Rick's fallen gun bag and slung it over my shoulder while walking by Jonathan who was about to give us away again.

"Oh well what a coincidence for O'Connell-" I hit him with the bag rather roughly.

"Whose play is it? Is it my play I thought I just…" He was trying to stay on our good side something I found rather amusing.

"Gentlemen we got us a wager. Good evening Jonathan." I said giving his shoulder a hard squeeze reminding him to keep his mouth shut.

"Night." He said as soon as we were around the corner Rick pulled me into a room taking his bag from me.

"Where did you get all that money?" He demanded to know I felt a lump in my throat but did answer.

"I sold everything except a few sets of clothes and one of my trunks to get enough money to pay your bail but they sent it back several times. The last time it came back they said if I sent it again they would put me in jail for trying to help a fiend I couldn't buy a new home so I had to try something else. That is why I was at the jail yesterday." I was barely able to keep the tears at bay Rick pulled me close and sobs tore from my throat as he pulled me closer it helped to know that Rick was still there to help me when I needed it.

"Alright Raissa it's alright." He said trying to calm me down I quieted for a few minutes before regaining my composure and wiping my eyes. Rick tilted my head making me look at him before I felt him wipe away the tears I missed I closed my eyes reveling in the sense that this caring man was the brother that loved me.

"Come on let's go." Rick said opening the door and wrapping his arm around my waist again I wrapped both arms around his and we went to find Evie, who was reading a book. Rick threw the bag onto the table in front of her making her jump. I muffled a giggle before sitting down.

"Sorry didn't mean to scare you." he said smiling at me she looked up at him.

"The only thing that scares me Mr. O'Connell are your manners." She said with a small smile my way.

"Still angry about that kiss, huh?" Rick asked her in good nature.

"If you call that a kiss." Evie said with a small smile. Rick frowned and roughly opened the bag revealing guns and knives, our personal collection that we always shared.

"Did I miss something are we going into battle?" Evie asked as we loaded all the weapons we could on our person.

"Lady there's something out there. There's something underneath that sand." He said as Evie lifted a hook from the bag and began to examine it making me wonder how much she knew of weapons.

"Yes, well, I'm hoping to find a certain artifact. A book, actually. My brother thinks there's treasure. What...What do you think is out there?" She asked before he gently pulled the hook from her hand.

"In a word? Evil." Rick replied as he loaded two other guns and placed them in their holsters before handing me three other ones which I loaded myself and stuck in my pockets. "The Bedouin and the Tuaregs believe that Hamunaptra's cursed."

"Oh, look, I don't believe in fairy tales and hokum, Mr. O'Connell, but, I do believe that one of the most famous books in history is buried out there. The Book of Amun-Ra. It contains within it all the secret incantations of the old kingdom. It's what first interested me in Egypt when I was a child. It-it's why I came here-sort of a...a life's pursuit." She said looking enthusiastic as she talked I wondered if we would find that amazing piece of history.

"And the fact that they say it's made out of pure gold makes no never mind to you? Right?" Rick said casually as he cleaned one of his weapons Evie seem surprised.

"You know your history." She said I wasn't surprised at his next sentence considering that the only reason he knew of it was because of the gold.

"I know my treasure." I ruefully smiled before finishing my weapons by sharpening my knives my most prized possessions along with my saber.

"By the way why did you kiss me?" Evie asked uncertainly I hoped my brother would keep his mouth shut but no luck.

"I was about to be hanged it seemed like a good idea at the time." He said with a chuckle and a smirk.

"Oh." Evie bristled out before slamming her book shut and stalking off.

"What? What did I say?" Rick said before a small cry made me and him turn in recognition we both calmly and slowly walked over to a corner and pulled out Beni an old friend unfortunately.

"Ah surprise my good friend you're alive I was so very, very worried and Raissa." Beni said to me in greeting making me growl.

"Well if it ain't my little buddy Beni I think I'll kill you." Rick said as we both brought out a weapon and pointed it at his chest.

"Think of my children!" He said quickly making us even more furious.

"You don't have any children!" We said together shoving the guns at him further.

"Someday I might." He said pitifully.

"Shut up! So you're the one leading the Americans I might've known. So what's the scam you take them out to the middle of the desert and then you leave to rot?" Rick said incredulously.

"Unfortunately no these Americans are smart they pay me only half now half when I get them back to Cairo so this time I must go all the way." He said Rick removed his gun as did I but only because Rick pushed my arm down.

"Them's the breaks huh?" He said sympathetically.

"You never believed in Hamunaptra O'Connell why are you going back?" Beni inquired.

"See that girl she saved my neck." Rick said looking over at Evie who was petting the camels she looked over and frowned before walking away.

"You always did have more balls then brains." Beni said before chuckling hesitantly I threw an arm around his shoulders and pretended to laugh as I led him to the edge.

"Goodbye Beni." I said before tossing him overboard Rick couldn't have looked prouder before he saw wet footsteps on the deck I looked over the side to see Beni was still trying to swim to shore.

"Evelyn!" He said as we busted into her room to see her being held by a man in billowing black robes. I was about to shoot when I saw the flame of a lit candle flicker and immediately looked towards the window as Rick began shooting the man in the window. Evie grabbed the candle and stabbed the man that held her in the eye he released her and rushed to us before I led her out the door with Rick following close behind us.

"The map, the map I forgot the map!" She exclaimed as she tried to rush back but I grabbed one arm while Rick grabbed the other.

"Relax I'm the map it's all up here." he said pointing to his head.

"Oh that's comforting." Evie said as he led us across the boat shooting people when we needed to.

"Can you swim?" Rick asked as the boat went up in flames around us. I was still shooting at the men before they could hit us while Evie answered.

"Well of course I can swim if the occasion calls for it!" Evie said before Rick lifted her into his arms I had to smile at the kind but probably inappropriate gesture.

"Trust me it calls for it." He said before tossing her over the railing I stood next to him as the warden came near us much to my disgust.

"O'Connell what are we going to do? What are we going to do?" He said frantically as Rick grabbed my hand and slung his gun sack over one shoulder hitting me by accident.

"Wait here we'll go get help." Rick said the warden nodded and turned just as we jumped over before yelling and joining us. After Jonathan joined us we waded up to shore and Evie began complaining.

"We've lost everything all our tools all the equipment! All my clothes!" Evie said or should I say complained I sighed and draped my jacket over her shoulders to give her some cover from the cold winds before we heard Beni yelling.

"Hey! O'Connell looks to me like I got all the horses!" Beni yelled triumphantly.

"Hey Beni? LOOKS TO ME LIKE YOU'RE ON THE WRONG SIDE OF THE RIVER!" Rick yelled before laughing Beni scoffed then looked at his surroundings angrily kicking the water.

Chapter Three

After making it to a small camp Rick and Jonathan went to go buy some camels while Evie and I were in a tent with Arabian women giving us a bath and new clothes. After I said good-bye and thank you we left.

"I'm surprised that you know Arabic and Ancient Egyptian." Evie said before we heard the men's conversation I turned back to see Evie putting up the veil that went over her face I kept mine on to hide the bruise my brother had left with that dang bag of his.

"I only want five! Five! I only want five, not a whole bloody herd! O'Connell oh can you believe the cheek?" Jonathan said exasperatedly Rick was obviously annoyed.

"Would you just pay the man!" He said Jonathan sighed and pulled a handful of bills out of his pocket and handed them to the camel trader.

"Oh for heaven's sake can't believe the price of these flea bags. Yes happy? Very good." Jonathan said taking two of the reins while Rick grabbed the other three.

"Probably could have got them for free all we had to do was give him your sister." Rick said Evie giggled at that but it disturbed me that he could talk about trading someone so freely.

"Yes awfully tempting wasn't it but what about your own sister?" Jonathan asked as he led a few of the camels.

"Awfully." Rick mumbled as he saw Evie in the black clothes and I in bright red.

"Okay get on Raissa." Rick called before he saw that I was already up on my camel and was waiting for him I didn't know why I was though.

"Never did like camels," Jonathan complained, "Filthy buggers. They smell, they bite, they spit." Just then, the Warden spat into the sand making me grimace for I hated him and here I was a few feet from him. "Disgusting." Jonathan finished his opinion.

"I think they're adorable," Evie replied with a smile as she patted hers. The Warden started to sing a love song in Arabic adding in English words when he wanted and glancing over in my direction I kept a hand on my gun. After riding for hours we were seeing the Americans and Beni.

"Good morning my friends." Beni stated as he saw us.

"What the heck we doing?" Henderson asked as he stared at the sand I could tell he didn't have any patience with anything.

"Patience my good barat'm, patience" Beni said before he looked back at Rick with anger in his eye.

"Remember our bet, O'Connell. First one to the city, 500 cash bucks." Henderson said to us. Rick shook his head.

"A hundred of them bucks is yours if you help us win that bet," Daniels added to Beni. I had to roll my eyes all they wanted was treasure this was going to be a horrible adventure.

"Oh, my pleasure," Beni said with a small nod. "Hey O'Connell. Nice camel." He added as Rick patted the camel's head.

"Get ready for it." Rick said suddenly making Evie look at him.

"For what?" She asked now looking out at the horizon.

"We're about to be shown the way." He said and as he talked the sun rose and like an illusion Hamunaptra appeared.

"Hamunaptra." I breathed astounded at the sight.

"Will ya look at that," said an amazed Henderson.

"Can you believe it?" Daniels added with a smile.

"Hamunaptra." Burns said with awe.

"Here we go again," Rick groaned. Instantly both Beni and Rick whacked their camels, forcing them to run forward

"Teek-teek-teek!" Evie yelled. I whipped mine too. Everyone started racing. The race for five hundred dollars had begun. Rick raced in front, until he was side by side with Beni. Beni then started whipping Rick with his stick Rick yelled out in pain. He then grabbed Beni's shirt.

"So long, Beni!" He said, before pulling him off his camel and onto the ground.

"And that serves you right!" Evie said as Beni yelled out with surprise I would have laughed but Henderson was suddenly no longer interested in the race he was eyeing me like the warden had with lust in his eye except Henderson was trying to make sure he was always beside me in the race. I leaned over towards him he unconsciously leaned towards me and I jabbed my elbow in his face knocking him off his horse somewhat. Evie's camel started to run faster, until she was beside my brother. He stared at her for a moment, but then her camel picked up even more speed until she was racing.

"Whoo-oo! Go Evie go!" Jonathan yelled as she rode into the gates of the city. Needless to say we won the race and went to work in the city.

"That's the statue of Anubis its legs go deep underground. According to Bembridge scholars that's where we'll find a secret compartment containing the book of Amun-Ra. Uh Jonathan you're meant to catch the sun with that." Evie said as she watched her brother wipe the dust off one of the metal disks.

"So what are the old mirrors for?" Rick asked trying to start a conversation.

"Ancient mirrors it's an old Egyptian trick you'll see." She said going back to work before Rick brought out a brown cloth tied with string.

"Uh, here, this is…uh, for you." Rick held out the leather bag he was holding. Evie stared at him. "Go ahead; it's something I borrowed off our American brethren. I thought you might need it for when you're...uh, yeah." He made digging motions. "What are you looking at?" He added to the Warden beside him who held his hands up letting my brother know that he was not interested and had tried to ignore us.

"So what is it?" I asked, as Evie opened the bag. It was a tool kit. I snickered silently, while she smiled.

"Raissa you want to go down first?" Rick asked holding the rope towards me.

"Hey look for bugs. I hate bugs." The warden said I scowled but grabbed it and happily flew down into the dark hole beneath us before my brother and the rest of our party joined me.

"Do you realize we're standing in a room that no one has entered in more then three thousand years?" I asked not caring that I couldn't see any of it just yet.

"And then there was light." Evie said positioning an ancient mirror so the cave was actually filled with light.

"Hey that is a neat trick." Rick said as I looked around taking in the surroundings.

"Oh my god it's a sah-net-jer!" I said excitedly.

"A what?" Rick asked looking at me.

"A preparation room." Evie stated as if it were obvious.

"Preparation for what?" Rick asked still confused.

"For entering the afterlife." I said in a spooky voice then Jonathan spoke up.

"Mummies my good son this is where they made the mummies." He said before we started walking through corridors until we heard a skittering sound go past us.

"What was that?" I asked as Rick wrapped a protective arm around my waist which I would have shrugged off if not for the extra strength behind it.

"Sounds like bugs." He said I grinned mischievously.

"He said bugs." I said making the warden jump.

"What do you mean bugs? I hate bugs." He said bringing his gun out and look everywhere. We then entered a room where the lower half of the statue was.

"The legs of Anubis." Evie said before we heard footsteps Rick, Jonathan, and I pulled out our weapons and jumped from our hiding place behind the statue to be met with the Americans.

"You scared the bejesus out of us O'Connell." Henderson said as he lowered his guns.

"Likewise." We said as we also lowered our weapons.

"Hey that's my tool kit!" Burns exclaimed Evie clutched it to her as he tried to reach for it everyone put our guns back up Rick made sure one of his was right in front of his face.

"No I don't think so." Rick said making sure Burns got the idea to back off.

"Okay perhaps I was mistaken." He said backing away everyone lowered their weapons.

"Well have a nice day gentlemen we have a lot of work to be getting along with." Evie said before Dr. Chamberlain spoke up.

"Push off this is our dig site!" He said making Evie glare.

"We got here first." She said as we once again held up our guns.

"This here's our statue friend." Daniels said.

"Well I don't see your name written on it pal." Rick said with a smirk.

"Well there's only five of you and fifteen of me your odds are not so great O'Connell." Beni said before Rick moved one of the guns into his face.

"I've had worse." Rick said I nodded smirking as Jonathan said he had as well.

"Oh for goodness sakes' children if we are going to play nice then we must learn to share." Evie said making the Americans and I lower our weapons in confusion. I looked down as though I had seen something and saw the crack making me smirk.

"There are other places to dig." Evie said placing her hand on Rick's arm he stared at her but did lower his weapons which shocked me for no one could make Rick do that with a look. After leaving we went to a room under the floor and started pounding on the ceiling.

"According to these hieroglyphics we are underneath the statue we should come up right between its legs." I said without as much as a blush Evie looked at me with a shock.

"And when those dang Yanks go to sleep tonight no offense," Jonathan said Rick replied with "None taken." and he continued. "We'll dig our way up and steal that book right out from under them."

"Are you sure we can find this secret compartment thing?" Rick asked as he dug a pick-axe into the ceiling.

"Oh if those beastly Americans haven't beaten us to it. No offense." Evie said looking at us.

"None taken." Rick said again I couldn't say it for I was half Egyptian and half Arabian so it did not apply to me which I was eternally grateful for.

"Hey where'd our smelly little friend get to?" Jonathan asked as he looked around making me realize the warden was missing. A few hours after digging we were all resting. Rick was listening to Evie and I explain the mummification process while Jonathan was hitting a bunch of little stones against the wall.

"Let me get this straight they ripped out your guts and they stuffed them in jars." Rick said trying to comprehend what I had just told him.

"And they took out your heart as well. Oh and you know how they took out your brains?" Evie asked Jonathan decided to speak up.

"Evie I don't think we need to know this." He said making a rock hit the wall while I answered.

"They take a sharp red hot poker stick up your nose scramble things about a bit and rip it all out through your nostrils." I said while miming the technique with a digging tool Rick reached up and touched his nose in sympathy.

"Oh that's got to hurt." He said making Evie respond rather rapidly.

"Well it's called mummification you'll be dead when they do this." She said I couldn't help but laugh at my brother.

"If I don't make it out of here don't put me down for mummification." Rick said looking at Jonathan.

"Likewise." He said before a large object landed in front of Evie, Rick and I the dust was so thick that you could hardly breathe.

"Oh my god it's a sarcophagus buried at the base of Anubis." I said looking at the sarcophagus in awe.

"He must have been someone of great importance or he did something very naughty." Evie said while I wiped off the dust to see who it was.

"Well who is it?" Jonathan asked I scanned the hieroglyphics my eyes widened.

"He That Shall Not Be Named." I whispered making Rick look at me before blowing dust off an indented area.

"This looks like some sort of a lock," he commented.

"These are usually quarried granite with a cobalt lining no one could escape this." I said running my hands over it trying to move away more of the dust.

"Well, whoever was in here sure wasn't getting out," Jonathan said ignoring my comment.

"Yeah, no kidding," Rick agreed, and then added, "It'd take us a month to crack this thing without a key."

"A key? A key! A key! Now that's what he was talking about!" Evie said realizing something was familiar. She started rummaging through the bag Jonathan had brought along.

"Who-who was talking about what?" Rick asked with a puzzled look, staring at Jonathan. He shrugged.

"The man, the man on the barge," Evie answered, "The one with the hook. He was...he was looking for a key." She took out the puzzle box and fiddled around with it for a moment. I watched curiously as she pressed a button somewhere and it opened, to find out it was a matching star shape.

"Hey, that's mine!" Jonathan added. We ignored him. She placed it on the sarcophagus, and it fitted perfectly. Evie looked up at us and smiled triumphantly. A scream echoed through the halls as the warden appeared yelling about something as he ran past us Rick and I followed our guns out and ready but the warden ran headfirst into a wall falling to the ground dead. Later that night in our camp Evie brought the subject up.

Chapter Four

"What do you suppose killed him?" She asked as Rick and I walked back to them.

"Did you ever see him eat?" Jonathan asked before we sat down.

"Well it seems our American friends had a little misfortune of their own today three of their diggers were uh…melted." Rick said grabbing his gun as I reloaded mine.

"What?" Evie asked Jonathan spoke up after her.

"How?" I answered their questions.

"Salt acid. Pressurized salt acid some kind of ancient booby trap." I said.

"Maybe this place really is cursed." Jonathan whispered everyone remained quiet until Evie huffed and spoke up.

"Oh for goodness' sake, you three." She said making me silently laugh.

"You don't believe in curses huh?" Rick said as he handed me another gun which I gratefully took.

"No I don't I believe if I can see it and I can touch it then it's real that's what I believe." She said staring at the ground in front of the fire.

"I believe in being prepared." Rick added I nodded in agreement.

"Let's see what our friend the warden believed in." Jonathan said grabbing the warden's bag and rummaging through it before crying out making Evie scream and Rick hold up a rifle I ignored it.

"My God what is it?" Evie said as Jonathan stuck his hand back into the bag.

"A broken bottle. Glenlivet twelve years old. Well he may have been a stinky fellow but he had good taste." He said taking a drink from the bottle as the sound of hoof beats were heard by Rick and me.

"Take this stay here." He said handing Evie a rifle while he and I ran off.

"No wait, wait! Wait for me!" Evie said bounding from her seat and following us. Jonathan was right behind her.

"Evie, excuse me but didn't the man just say stay here? Evie!" He yelled mayhem had descended upon Hamunaptra as men in billowing black robes rode through the camp cutting down everyone in their path. I rushed into the fray sending warning shots hoping I didn't hit anyone that was something my brother hated. I would waste a bullet by a warning but it came in handy when I was only trying to scare the horses seeing as how that would injure more of the riders then kill them.

"O'Connell!" Jonathan yelled I climbed on top of a pillar just as he ran by with a rider following him I leapt from my perch and tackled the rider to the ground. He quickly kicked my stomach pushing me off him I brought out my gun and shot at his sword he dropped it unexpectedly I raised my gun again but he had brought out another sword and knocked my gun out of my hand. We circled each other before a yell made him turn his head I threw a punch knocking his head back he looked as if he had not expected a woman to fight. He raised his sword and brought it down against my own I pushed his away and grabbed his wrist bringing it behind his back. Before I was fully behind him I kicked his stomach he doubled over in pain and went to his knees. I dropped my blade which turned to be a mistake as he used his other hand and drove a blade into my arm very close to my wrist. I cried out and pulled away from him before something else happened. The man was about to come towards me but Rick appeared brandishing a lit explosive.

"Enough, Yallah!" The man said the rest stopped their assault. "We will shed no more blood tonight but you must leave. Leave this place or die. You have one day." His eyes, I noticed, had never left the wound on my arm and were sympathetic. I realized he had not wanted that to happen at all. I flashed him a smile and nodded at him before a thought struck my mind.

"_Medjai?_" I asked in Arabic the man turned startled but nodded and mounted his horse.

"Yallah! Nimshi!" He nodded in my direction before leaving. Rick had pulled the fuse from the dynamite and left me to help Evie up.

"See that proves that old Seti's fortune's got to be under this sand." Daniels said excitedly.

"For them to protect it like this you know there's got to be treasure down there." Henderson said agreeing with his friend.

"No these men are desert people they value water not gold." Rick said as he held Evie against him.

"You know maybe just at night we could uh combine forces." Burns said with shaving cream still on his face. I was still piecing the puzzle together. The four of us returned to the camp I made sure to stay behind Rick this way he couldn't see the knife or the wound. Once he started teaching Evie, who was drunk, how to fight I went off to a corner and pulled the knife out quickly. I muffled the cry that threatened to escape but couldn't stop my tears I pulled myself together, ripped up my old shirt and made a makeshift bandage before turning to see Rick kneeling next to me.

"How did that happen?" He whispered I looked to see Evie lying next to Jonathan both had passed out from all the liquor.

"When I was fighting with one of those men I guess." I whispered with him he quickly got behind me and let me lay against him. As he re-bandaged my shoddy work I felt myself drift off from sleep or blood loss I did not know but I quickly went to the world of dreams and all of them reflected the man who had held me down. The next day we were all back underground of course I was not doing much thanks to my injury none of them knew I had kept the dagger from the man and the sword he had dropped in my belt.

"Oh I've dreamt about this since I was a little girl!" Evie said excitedly as Rick and Jonathan put the sarcophagus up against the wall. I was sitting near the door a gun in my hand but I was so tired it didn't do me any good sleep soon claimed me again. Rick looked at me in sympathy but he soon got back at the task at hand.

"You dream about dead guys?" Rick asked incredulously as Evie examined the case.

"Look his sacred spells were chiseled off. This man must have been condemned not only in this life but in the next." Evie said placing her hands on the sarcophagus.

"Tough break." Rick said as Jonathan placed the key in the lock and started to turn it.

"Yeah I'm all tears now let's see who's inside." Jonathan said as he and Rick struggled to pull off the lid while Evie stepped back with a small smile on her face the lid fell away with one great shove but the mummy that came out startled everyone even me. I had woken somewhat considering nightmares now haunted my dreams.

"Oh my god I hate it when these things do that." Evie said moving to Rick's side.

"Is he supposed to look like that?" Rick asked looking at the mummy disgustingly.

"No I've never seen a mummy look like this before. He's still-" Evie couldn't find a word to describe him so Rick and Jonathan supplied the answer.

"Juicy." They said.

"Yes. He must be more then three thousand years old and well it looks as if he's still decomposing." I said standing and going over to them. Rick then noticed something in the lid.

"Hey what do you make of this?" He asked as he and Evie knelt in front of the lid she placed her nails on the scratches in the lid moving them backwards.

"My god these marks were made with fingernails this man was buried alive and he left us a message: Death is only the beginning." Evie said looking at the mummy whose mouth was hanging open as if he had just said the words himself.

"Hey O'Connell what price do you think these babies will fetch back home?" Henderson asked mockingly holding up a canopic jar later that night I shrugged not really caring about it.

"We heard you boys and girls found yourselves a nice, gooey mummy. Well, congratulations!" Burns added, sitting down I groaned from the headache that I was starting to get.

"If you dry that sucker out, you might be able to sell him for firewood," Daniels suggested. They laughed, and Rick made a face while I heard horses it brought my mind back to the man I was still trying to picture why he and his friends were guarding this place.

"Look what I found!" Evie's voice approached us I smiled as she started running making her seem almost like a little child.

"You're in her seat," Rick said, turning to Beni. He laughed a little. "Now!" Rick added sharply when he didn't move.

"Yup," Beni muttered, getting up. Evie sat down with us I had stood to let her have my seat but now Beni occupied it much to my disgust I walked around him to get closer to my brother as I did I gave Beni a good kick in the back.

"Scarab skeletons," Evie said, showing them to us, "Flesh eaters. I found them inside our friend's coffin." Both Rick and Jonathan picked one up and studied it. I decided to leave them alone. "They can stay alive for years, feasting on the flesh of a corpse." I shuddered at the thought. "Unfortunately for our friend, he was alive when they started eating him."

"So somebody threw these in with our guy, and then they slowly ate alive?" I whispered in disbelief for it just kept adding on to the puzzle in my head.

"Very slowly," Evie said.

"Well, he certainly wasn't a popular fellow when they planted him, was he?" Jonathan commented I nodded.

"Well, he probably got a little too frisky with the Pharaoh's daughter," Rick said. Evie smiled a little while I laughed at his joke.

"Well, according to my readings...our friend suffered the Hom-Dai, the worst of all ancient Egyptian curses...one reserved only for the most evil of blasphemers. Well, in my research, I've never heard of this curse having actually been performed." Evie explained.

"There's always a first for everything," I couldn't help saying. Rick shot me an annoyed glance, but didn't say anything for which I was grateful for.

"That bad, huh?" Rick asked hoping that he could try and make sure I couldn't interrupt them again.

"Yes, well they never used it because they feared it so." She answered him, "It's written that if a victim of the Hom-Dai should ever arise...he would bring with him the ten plagues of Egypt." We stared into the fire before I decided it was time for bed I quickly walked back to the tent and tried to sleep. But of course, I couldn't asleep the others had taken my action and everyone was in bed well not including me. Just then, Evie sneaked towards us, holding a large book in her arms I frowned and sat up as though I had a nightmare.

"That's called 'stealing', you know." Rick said. So he wasn't asleep either it was possible considering that after all we had been through he was tense.

"According to you, Raissa, and my brother...it's called borrowing." Evie rummaged through the bag and found the key my stomach sank as I realized what she planned to do. I had to stop her feeling as though something horrible would come from reading that book.

"I thought the Book of Amun-Ra was made out of gold," Rick said as she opened the key and placed it in the cover of the book.

"It is made out of gold. This isn't the Book of Amun-Ra. This is something else," Evie answered him; "I think this may be the Book of the Dead."

"The Book of the Dead?" Rick repeated I had already known that thanks to studying about Egypt.

"Are you sure you want to be playing around with this thing?" I asked.

"It's just a book. No harm ever came from...reading a book," Evie replied. Somehow, I thought something about the Book of the Dead made me shudder. The wind howled as she opened it.

"That happens a lot around here," Rick muttered. I had to agree. "So what's it say?"

"Uh Evie maybe you shouldn't read it. What if something happens?" I asked Rick waved his hand hushing me I scowled and immediately turned to hide my tears for it hurt to see him be so mean to me.

"_**Amun Ra. Amun Dei**_. It speaks of the night and of the day." She continued to read I suddenly heard a scream and felt as if something horrible had been unleashed.

"Nooooooo!" Dr. Chamberlain yelled out. He ran over to us. "You must not read from the book!" There was a rumbling noise. The Americans all got out of bed with their guns at the ready. Even Jonathan woke up I knew pulling out my gun was worthless but I was more worried for everyone else. We all stared as a large amount of black insects came flying right towards us.

Chapter Five

"Locusts run now!" I yelled out, and we all turned and ran. Rick held Evie's hand as he ran so I was forced to fend for myself Rick definitely seemed to like Evie. A few of the diggers were buried underneath the bugs. We ran through several tunnels with the Americans following close behind.

"Where the heck did they come from?" Henderson yelled as we continued to run.

"I ain't waitin' around to find out!" Daniels answered, terrified. That was when Burns tripped his glasses fell off. I felt sorry for him but there was nothing I could do for Rick kept pushing me forward.

"My glasses! My glasses!" He yelled feeling around for them none of his friends bothered to help him. The four of us got into another hallway, but then the ground shook. I nearly lost my balance the ground in front of us started to rise slowly, and then...A large amount of scarabs piled out, heading straight towards us.

"Scarabs!" Evie and I yelled out as we turned and ran. We ran out Rick, Jonathan and Evie leaped onto one side while I went to the other. Luckily, the scarabs ignored us and continued to head forward I suddenly felt myself fall into a different room with the trapdoor closing behind me. I put my hand out as I stood and tried to feel where I was going before sinking to the ground again I looked down to see my leg was bleeding very badly. A groan got my attention I looked to see Burns.

"Oh Mr. Burns I was just starting to get scared. I lost everyone…" As I talked he turned and I did one of the two things I almost never did: I screamed. His eyes had been removed and so had his tongue by the way he talked I backed up before hitting something I thought it was wall until I felt it move. I turned to see the mummy we had uncovered alive and standing with Burns' eyes and tongue.

"_**Where is Anck-su-namun, Serket?**_" It said I understood him perfectly but I was terrified. Burns moaned again causing the mummy to look at him I ran from the cave right out into the fresh air I collapsed in front of the doorway trying to catch my breath and trying to slow the blood now gushing down my leg. After a few minutes I noticed that something or someone was moving about both camps I silently stood and brought out my saber and one of my guns before an arm went around my waist pinning my arms down and a hand went over my mouth. I knew better then to struggle so I tilted my head forward and brought it crashing back against whoever held me he let go with a small cry of pain I turned to see him nursing a bloody nose not looking very happy with me.

"_I am sorry but you had grabbed me by surprise what did you expect me to do?" _I asked he moved his hand away and let out a low growl. I shrugged before ripping a piece of cloth from my robes and handing it to him he eyed me warily before taking it. I rolled my eyes and shook my head before remembering the cut in my leg I tore another piece off and tied it tightly around the cut successfully stopping the bleeding.

"_How did that happen?" _the man asked I noticed that he had taken off the veil that covered the lower half of his face it was the man who had held me down making my heart start to race.

"_I fell through a trapdoor and scratched my leg. It is nothing." _I said never looking at him. He held out his hand I took it hesitantly feeling my skin burn slightly from the contact before standing he let go once I was on my feet and stalked off. I took off in the other direction muttering under my breath in Arabic.

_"Of all the things that woman had to resurrect the High Priest Imhotep had to be one of them." _I muttered not noticing that I was heading straight toward my camp until I noticed the familiar surroundings I went into my tent and laid down trying to clear my head. The man's face flashed behind my lids he was handsome, strong and determined with a protective side that people rarely see and the identical tattoos on his cheeks did give him an air of mystery but his eyes were what fascinated me they looked as if they could see into the most terrible of people and see their true self it made me wonder what he saw in me but I had the strangest feeling as though I had seen him somewhere before the attack a few nights ago someone came in I opened my eyes and inwardly groaned it was the man again. I quickly stood so I would not have to see the lust glittering in his eyes but to my surprise I didn't see that I saw a protective glitter instead.

"_You should not go off alone it is dangerous around here." _He said as if he was scolding a child making my temper heat up.

"_I am perfectly capable of taking care of myself I do not need someone looking over my shoulder constantly now please just leave me alone having to deal with my brother is bad enough!" _I nearly yelled tears springing into my eyes as I talked. Before I said something that I would regret I left the tent and just walked to where I didn't know I just wanted to get away from everything that had happened. I came to a ruined wall I sat down behind it and started crying, the other thing I almost never did. I could not help it I laid against the wall and closed my eyes wanting to just sleep and believe that this was a dream but I knew I was lying to myself. I then heard two sets of footsteps coming towards me.

"_Ardeth we have found her." _A voice said another person came forward I somehow knew it was the man that had stabbed my arm.

_"Thank you Adair, Emir go check with the men to see if they have found anything about the other people here." _I heard Ardeth say the third man went off leaving me in the presence of Adair and Ardeth much to my annoyance.

"_Ardeth she may know something about the man we found in the temple she may be the key to putting the creature in his grave again." _Adair said as Ardeth placed a hand on my cheek and then my forehead making me feel like shivering in excitement.

_"We will let her rest first my friend. She has already had an encounter with the creature it has tired her greatly." _He said Adair sighed but agreed with him before I heard him walk off I pretended to stir making Ardeth snatch his hand away rather quickly. He tried to place his hand on me again I snapped my eyes open as his dagger placed itself in my hand and was at his throat he hesitated before putting his hand at his side.

"_Most people are dead when I do that consider it a warning. What do you want?" _I asked taking the knife away he noticed that I apparently did not want a lie.

"_Merely to see if you are alright." _He said I noticed he meant it kindly.

"_Forgive me being tired seems to make me angry about everything and the fact that my brother is ignoring me is not helping the task." _I said sadly looking at the ground with tears in my eyes he wrapped an arm around my shoulder before tilting my head to look at him with his other hand. I saw those brown eyes again and did not want to look away.

Chapter Six

(You will now see the story through Ardeth's eyes)

The moon was bright and her eyes were glowing like fire. I longed to know this woman's name but I would have to wait. Ever since we had fought she had been all I could think about it made me wonder if she thought the same about me.

"There is nothing to forgive you are merely tired do not worry about your anger it is nothing." I said she nodded weakly as her eyelids drooped before snapping back open again. I managed to hide a chuckle as she drifted off to sleep Adair, my friend and second-in-command, came over and smiled while hiding his laughter.

"The other people are about to leave the temple we heard them running through corridors." He said I nodded Adair took her in his arms and laid her in a nearby tent I memorized the place so we could find her again. Quickly pulling my scarf back over the lower part of my face I stood in front of my men as four men and another woman came running out my men raised the rifles making the five stop in front of us I smirked at each one the woman and three of the men were terrified but the one in the middle seemed calm and tense as if he had lost something.

"I told you to leave or die you refused now you may have killed us all. For you have released a creature that we have feared for more then three thousand years." I said removing the scarf so they could see my face.

"Relax I got him." the man in the middle said I was starting to wonder if all these people were just as stupid as him.

"No mortal weapon can kill this creature. He is not of this world." I said angrily I moved aside as two of my men brought the man we had found forward.

"What did you do to him?" one of the other men asked when he and a dark-haired companion held him they were clearly his friends.

"We saved him. Saved him before the creature could finish his work. Leave all of you before he finishes you all." I said my men rushed back into the temple and the woman plus the other man and the two that held their friend rushed away but the man that had spoken first remained where he stood.

"Do you know where my sister is?" He asked clearly frightened I nodded and walked back to her he followed quickly. She had just stepped out of the tent as we walked up.

"Raissa are you alright?" The man asked swooping her up in a warm embrace she smiled. So the woman's name was Raissa it suited her for she was beautiful especially when the night fell and she knew how to fight not many women did, I saw that her face had no imperfections it was as if she had been made so beautiful she could tempt the wealthiest of people her eyes were a sparkling blue that bore at my heart. No other woman could make me feel this way I had to wonder again if she had someone else important to her.

"Of course I am alright Rick O'Connell I should be asking you that question. Evelyn Carnahan might want to be careful considering she read from the book that mummy likes her." She said looking up at him I saw worry flash across his face making me wonder again.

"I'm fine but we need to get out of here." O'Connell said he was apparently scared enough to leave.

"We must now go on the hunt and try to find a way to kill him." I said hoping he would listen.

"I already told you, I got him." O'Connell said angrily I ignored how he felt and pressed on.

"Know this. This creature is the bringer of death. He will never eat, he will never sleep, and he will never stop." O'Connell moved her far enough away so that he thought I would not hear his conversation.

"Raissa I don't trust them everyone should leave that includes you." He said eyeing me warily.

"Rick look at me. I know what the mummy is capable of trust me when I say I am probably safer here with him and his men then any of you are. Just keep the others safe and I will meet up with all of you soon I promise. Be careful brother." Raissa said her hands gripping his shoulders he nodded before heading off with her smiling at his retreating form.

(Raissa will continue the story)

"Why do you want to stay?" Ardeth asked looking at me as we entered the temple to find some trace of the high priest.

"My brother knows I will not be much help to him with protecting everyone since I like to keep busy. Another reason is because I met with the creature after he had taken that man's eyes and tongue." I said he did not need to know Burns' name.

"You certainly are brave not many are so calm when they encounter one of the undead." Ardeth said I shrugged.

"Not brave enough otherwise I would have ignored my brother and pulled the book away before Evie had finished that spell." I said as we entered the chamber where I had first saw the High Priest Imhotep.

"It is difficult to cross family." Ardeth said as he sat down I sat across from him my curiosity perked up.

"Who have you crossed?" I asked he sighed before answering.

"My father. He wanted me to go through an arranged marriage with Aaliyah, a girl in my tribe. I argued that the marriage would accomplish nothing except my suffering. I walked around the camp before I saw Aaliyah with my friend, Loch-Nah." He said I saw he was struggling to keep his emotions in check. I moved next to him and laid a kind hand on his arm telling him he didn't have to continue.

"Loch-Nah and Aaliyah had been secretly seeing each other I would have given anything to see my friend happy but the law of my tribe said I had to fight with him. I did so against my will he had the upper hand and was about to run his sword through my stomach. Aaliyah stepped between us and took the blow Loch-Nah was devastated as he watched her die he left the camp that night hating me I have not seen him since." Ardeth let out a shuddering sigh I moved closer and wrapped an arm around his shoulders.

"Ardeth there was nothing you could do it was by your father's law not the tribe's. From what you told me you had no choice. You did nothing wrong." I said he looked at me with a small smile.

"You truly are your namesake." He said making me giggle.

"I am not, merely someone who has lost a friend before I know how you feel." I said before he held a hand up making me fall silent.

"Wait do you hear that?" Ardeth asked in a whisper I listened and heard a squeaky voice I nodded and motioned for him to follow we came to the edge of a room and peeked around the corner. There stood Beni behind Imhotep Beni was muttering prayers. One was Christian, one was Arabic, and another was Chinese before he came to one that caught my attention along with Imhotep's.

"_**The language of the slaves.**_" Imhotep said when Beni muttered in Hebrew, "_**I may have use for you. And the rewards will be great.**_" He held out a handful of gold towards Beni much to my disgust.

"My prince." He said breathlessly I was ready to kill them both but Ardeth pulled me away as I heard Imhotep yell where the other sacred jars were. We left the tomb and met with Ardeth's men.

"Now we need to find out where he is headed." One of them said tiredly I inwardly grinned.

"He will go to Cairo. My brother is protecting the three Americans that have the sacred jars and the book. Imhotep will try and find them and kill anyone who will get in his way." I said looking at the men with a sigh. A roar suddenly caught my attention I turned to see Imhotep and Beni looking our way each warrior was poised ready to fight I walked up to Beni.

"Ah Raissa come join us and you will receive wonderful riches." He said I heard the Medjai murmuring behind me.

"No my place is with the Medjai and I plan to stop you count on it." I said coldly Imhotep roared again trying to scare me I crossed my arms as he turned into a sandstorm, grabbed Beni and headed in the general direction of Cairo.

"You are braver then you say and you were right he is headed to Cairo." Ardeth whispered clearly impressed. A neigh then got my attention I turned back towards the men to see a horse struggling against several ropes.

"He is a wild beast I am tempted to let them shoot it." Ardeth said looking at the horse as though it was nothing.

"Everything deserves a chance to live human and animal." I said as I shot a glare at him before going over to the wild animal each man looked at me strangely but I did not care. I untied the ropes and petted the horse as I did so, it calmed down as I climbed into the saddle on its' back. Ardeth and the men were staring at me I could not help my action I threw back my head and laughed.

"Are any of you coming?" I asked before the horse reared and took off towards Cairo I laughed and urged it to slow a bit. Ardeth then rode up next to me.

"Well you must be a special person not many can tame him." He said staring at me his voice husky and his accent thick it made me use all my willpower so I would not kiss him right then and there.

Chapter Seven

(Ardeth's eyes)

"Thank you. We need to go if we are to get to Cairo in time." Raissa said with a blush I nodded and we rode side by side until we reached the museum where my father worked.

"_Ardeth do you think your father will be able to help us?" _She said as she dismounted.

"If anyone can help it is my father if he is not too busy." I said making her smile it made my heart start to beat faster and hers as well for she quickly turned away.

"Well let us hope he is not too busy." She said opening the door and both of us stopping just inside it. Bookshelves littered the floor as did several papers and shards of glass my father stood in the middle trying to clean some of it up.

"Oh Ardeth is everything alright?" He asked I managed to maintain my composure not sure how to tell him.

"The creature has awakened and attacked one of the men who opened the chest." I said clearly making him drop the broom he held.

"Ardeth may I talk to you alone for a moment?" He asked I sighed but nodded once we were in his office he shut and locked the door.

"_It is your duty to make sure the creature remains buried how did he awake?_" Father asked heatedly making my own temper build.

_"A woman named Evelyn Carnahan read from the ancient book. Raissa wants to help us I am-" _My sentence was cut off as father continued his rant about regaining the honor I had lost I sighed and let him continue until he saw that I was not fighting with him.

_"You care for this woman?" _He asked in a hushed whisper I turned to look back at the locked doors trying to imagine what Raissa was doing.

"_ARDETH YOU HAVE TO KILL THIS CREATURE!" _Father yelled making me jump it was the first time he had raised his voice for the entire argument.

"_Father I will Raissa said she wanted to help and I am giving her the chance I am a grown man I can make my own choices."_ I said finishing the discussion by walking out of the office Raissa was nowhere in sight I immediately became worried until I heard laughter coming from the front of the museum. Looking around the corner I saw she had the broom my father had dropped and was cleaning up as much as she could laughing when she tripped or fell it made me smile.

"Ardeth I can see you." She sang out making me laugh before going to stand in the doorway she looked at me and smiled, she looked radiant. I then noticed that something else was different I saw that half of the bookshelves were standing back up.

"Did you do this yourself?" I asked she nodded as she continued to sweep up the glass.

"It is not that hard to do so if you know where to stand." Raissa said before she slipped I quickly caught her before she could land on the glass.

"Be careful." I whispered she nodded with a blush I saw that she was trying to hide I pretended not to notice. A door slamming made both of us jump and fall to the floor I let out a groan as I felt some shards of glass embed themselves into my back I heard Raissa groan for the same.

"I am sorry I did not mean to frighten the two of you." Father said holding a hand out to me I took it and pulled myself up groaning again as I felt the shards move and cut deeper. After the shards were removed from our backs we continued to talk as we helped father clean up.

"Ardeth could you help me with this?" Raissa asked as she tried to lift the bookshelf I grabbed the other side and helped her move it into place but it wobbled letting some of the books fall on top of us.

"Could I see you two in the Seti display for a moment?" Father asked I opened my mouth to say yes but a book landed on my head making me groan as I rubbed the spot it had hit Father was laughing and so was Raissa I had to admit it sounded beautiful. We followed father up to the display and he immediately started asking questions.

"Now how did the creature reawaken?" Father asked Raissa and I looked at each other before she spoke up.

Chapter Eight

(Raissa's eyes)

"I believe you have Evelyn Carnahan to thank for that she read from the Book of the Dead and did not listen to the warnings I gave her." I said cursing myself in Hebrew.

"**I did not think you were capable of cursing.**"Ardeth said making me look at him in shock.

"**You speak Hebrew?**"I asked he nodded with a smile on his face his father looked at both of us confusingly.

"**Quite fluently my father thought it was a waste of time but I have found at least one use for it.**"He said I felt color rise in my cheeks before his father cleared his throat.

"What do you mean by warnings you gave her?" He asked he looked at me and I immediately felt my cheeks going redder before continuing.

"I tried to get her not to read from the book I apparently failed for now the High Priest Imhotep is walking the earth." I said before three voices were heard coming up the stairs.

"Yeah what's that all about?" Rick asked making me wonder what he and the others were talking about.

"What's this guy want anyway?" Daniels asked making me again wonder what this was about.

"There's only one person I know that could possibly give us any answers!" Evie said before they came around the corner.

"You!" Evie said the other four pulled out their weapons making me scowl for all had pointed them to Ardeth, his father saw it as well.

"Miss Carnahan. Gentlemen," Dr. Bey said to them.

"What is he doing here?" Evie asked glaring at Ardeth making both of us roll our eyes and me smile.

"Do you really want to know, or would you prefer to just...shoot us?" Dr. Bey said as I moved a bit in front of Ardeth's shoulder I would at least take a few blows.

"After what I just saw, I'm willing to go on a little faith here," Rick answered, putting his guns away. Everyone else followed and quickly sat down so they could listen.

"We are part of an ancient secret society for three thousand years we have guarded the city of the dead. We were sworn at manhood to do any and all in our power to stop the high priest Imhotep from being reborn into this world." Dr. Bey said as Ardeth and I stood near him.

"And now because of you we have failed." Ardeth added making me feel sorry for both of the men before me.

"And you think this justifies the killing of innocent people?" Evie asked she and Daniels were the only other two still standing.

"To stop this creature let me think?" Dr. Bey asked sarcastically.

"Yes!" I joined my voice with theirs Ardeth flashed a grateful smile as did his father but everyone else was shocked.

"Raissa I can't believe you can agree with them." Rick said glaring at me I smiled and nodded.

"Rick I have read of Imhotep he will not stop until he gets what he wants we have to do something or otherwise you might as well start digging your own grave right now." I said crossing my arms over my chest he frowned dejectedly. Ardeth had admiration and respect glowing in his eyes at me making me blush Rick then raised his hand as though he were in school.

"Question: why doesn't he like cats?" Rick asked both men were about to answer but I spoke up again.

"Well cats are the guardians of the underworld dearest brother he will fear them until he is fully regenerated." I said Ardeth was now smiling at me again.

"And then he will fear nothing." He added before standing behind his father and gently grabbing my hand. I looked at him in shock before smiling and squeezing his hand in return.

"And you know how he gets hisself fully regenerated?" Daniels asked clearly frightened.

"By killing everyone who opened that chest." Henderson said never looking away from his gun.

"And sucking them dry that's how!" Daniels finished as he started pacing in fright.

"Jonathan will you stop playing with that!" Evie snapped I turned to see Jonathan playing with a bow and arrow. "When I saw him alive at Hamunaptra he called me Anck-su-namun and then just now in Mr. Burns' quarters he tried to kiss me." All three of us were in shock.

"It was because of his love for Anck-su-namun that he was cursed. Apparently after three thousand years-" Ardeth and I finished his sentence together.

"He is still in love with her." We looked at each other before I smiled a little wider and blushed again he grinned and squeezed my hand again.

"Yes well that's all very romantic but what has it go to do with me?" Evie asked none of us were paying attention.

"Perhaps he will once again try to raise her from the dead." Ardeth said he kept my hand firmly in his.

"Yes, and it appears he has already chosen his human sacrifice." Dr. Bey said we turned towards Evie who looked frightened.

"Bad luck old mum." Jonathan said.

"On the contrary it may just give us the time we need to kill the creature." Dr. Bey said Ardeth looked up as did I and bit back a groan.

"We will need all the help we can get his powers are growing." Ardeth said everyone looked up to see an eclipse.

"And he stretched forth his hand towards the heavens and there was darkness throughout the land of Egypt." Jonathan recited as darkness filled the room I let Ardeth's hand go and went searching for a candle. Finding one I quickly lit it and turned jumping when I saw that Ardeth had followed me.

"You frightened me." I said placing the candle on the table and placing a hand over my heart trying to calm myself but not from fright mostly from giddiness.

"I am sorry I did not mean to." Ardeth said I smiled before looking at him.

"No it is fine I just did not realize you had followed me." I said before taking the candle in my hand again and going back to the others who were glad for the light.

"Well I say we go back to our rooms and try to make a plan." Rick proposed everyone agreed Dr. Bey motioned for Ardeth and me to go with him.

"_Ardeth go with them she needs protection just as much as Miss Carnahan does. I trust you can do that?_" Dr. Bey said Ardeth nodded and I smiled Ardeth knew full well that I had understood that.

Chapter Nine

We went with them Evie quickly began the conversation once we were in a room.

"We must stop him from regenerating, who opened that chest?" Evie said. Ardeth and I rolled our eyes as we listened to them talk having forgotten we were there.

"Well, there was me and Daniels here," Henderson answered, "Oh, and Burns, of course." He amended when he remembered his friend.

"And that Egyptologist fellow," Daniels added rather quickly.

"What about our buddy Beni?" Rick asked I sighed but turned to Ardeth when he tapped my shoulder.

"Beni?" He asked in a whisper I sighed again but did explain.

"An old friend of Rick's we saw him at Hamunaptra remember. He betrayed Rick in the war by leaving him to die we no longer trust him. Now he works for Imhotep he likes to be sure that he is not the one to die." I said he nodded I could see he was grateful for the clarification.

"No, he scrammed outta there 'fore we opened the dang thing," Daniels replied when Rick repeated the question.

"Yeah, he was the smart one," Henderson commented I snorted Beni was never smart he almost never thought of anything other then money.

"Well, yeah, that sounds like Beni," Rick put in.

"He always was a coward but he will do anything for money." I added Ardeth growled in anger and Rick was close to doing the same.

"Well we must find the Egyptologist and bring him back to the safety of the fort before the creature can get to him." Evie said to us I rolled my eyes again she was speaking as though we were just now walking into this conversation.

"Right." Rick answered, "She stays here, you five, come with me."

"Just wait a moment!" Evie complained, while everyone else besides Ardeth and me started saying 'not me' and things like that.

"You can't just leave me behind here like some kind of carpetbag! I mean, who put you in charge? O'Connell, what do you think you're doing!" Evie complained again. Rick stopped, turned, flung her over his shoulder, and carried her into the next room. I laughed but managed to keep it quiet Ardeth was doing the same much to my surprise "Jonathan! O'Connell! Raissa!"

"Uh...Sorry, but he's a bit...tall." Jonathan said.

"I know better then to argue with him much less fight with him!" I said Ardeth pulled me to one side of the room.

"_Raissa you should stay here if Imhotep sees you-_" I placed my hand over his mouth quieting him.

"_I will stay if you promise me you will be careful._" I said moving my hand away he smiled and nodded before we turned our attention back to the argument the others were watching.

"Coward you are! O'Connell, you are not leaving me in here! O'CONNELL! Jonathan, if you don't open this door in one minute flat-O'Connell, let me out of here!" She yelled louder as Rick slammed the door shut and locked it. Rick grabbed Daniels and pulled him over.

"This door doesn't open. She doesn't come out, and no one goes in, right?" Rick instructed.

"Right." Daniels replied.

"Right?" He turned to Henderson.

"Right." He said not wanting to get my brother mad making me giggle.

"Alright, Raissa, you stay here with them and keep an eye on them for me." Rick said making me groan.

"Alright but Rick remind me to hurt you myself for letting you talk me into this." I answered. I found that I was the only person that agreed with him. Evie continued to yell in the room.

"Let's go, Jonathan," Rick said before looking at Ardeth and motioning for him to follow I smiled and laughed before he went to stand next to Rick.

"Oh, well, I thought I could just stay at the fort and, uh, reconnoiter." Jonathan I could tell was looking for a way out of trying to go. Ardeth was doing his best not to laugh.

"Now!" He and Rick yelled as they walked out the door.

"Yeah, right. We're just going to rescue the Egyptologist." He hurried after them I got up and shut the door before turning to look at the two men who were scared beyond compare.

(Ardeth's eyes)

We arrived at the Egyptologist's hotel but as we entered the hall that led to his room we heard someone tearing it apart. O'Connell motioned for us to be quiet I nodded before he walked into the doorway.

"Let me guess, spring cleaning?" He asked sarcastically the man, who I saw was Beni, cowered before us as Jonathan and I appeared behind O'Connell. He then tried to run I watched as Raissa's brother grabbed a chair and tossed it knocking Beni to the floor.

"Nice shot." Jonathan mumbled I agreed with him but said nothing.

"Oh Beni did you fall down here let me help you up." O'Connell roughly grabbed Beni and threw him against a wall holding him there.

"You came back from the desert with a new friend, didn't you Beni?" He asked sarcastically as Beni regained his senses.

"What friend you are my only friend." He mumbled making me angry Raissa had been right he was a coward and was trying to find a way to keep from telling us.

"What are you doing with this guy huh? What's in it for you?" O'Connell asked angrily as he threw Beni against another wall.

"It is better to be the right hand of the devil then in his path as long as I serve him I am immune." He said this was becoming rather annoying.

"Immune from what?" I asked through gritted teeth Beni began to shake.

"Pizkas Allat." Beni mumbled it definitely made O'Connell angrier.

"What did you say?" He asked holding him up again.

"I don't want to tell you you'll just hurt me some more." Beni said not knowing the truth in his words I was going to hurt him if he did not begin to tell us the truth O'Connell apparently shared my sentiments.

"What are you looking for? And try not to lie to me!" O'Connell said as he pulled Beni to the middle of the room and held him close to a ceiling fan.

"The book! The Black book the Americans found at Hamunaptra he wants it back he said to me it would be worth its' weight in gold." He said obviously terrified I was impressed at O'Connell's way with his enemies.

"What does he want the book for?" Jonathan asked as Beni was lowered from the fan.

"Oh come on I don't know." He said before being pushed up to the fan once more.

"Just something about bringing his dead girlfriend back to life that's all I swear. He just wants the book I swear. Just the book." He said before remembering something, "…and your sister but other then that." Beni was frightened as O'Connell shook him but he gained some time as we heard a scream Beni kneed O'Connell in the stomach and ran to the window I followed him but stopped at the frame he had jumped through. I saw Imhotep standing over the body of what looked to be the Egyptologist he was prying the sacred canopic jar from his hand before looking up at us. Opening his mouth a swarm of insects left him O'Connell and Jonathan quickly closed the shutters before looking at each other.

"Well that's two down two to go." O'Connell said making me worry.

"Then he'll be coming after Evie." Jonathan said worry for his sister was seeping into his voice.

Chapter Ten

(Raissa's eyes)

Me shut in a room with two other men was not exactly the best option for they soon discovered that I did not like to flirt or be flirted with. But at least Daniels decided to escape.

"To heck with this," he said, "I'm going downstairs, get me a drink. You two want somethin'?"

"I do not drink," I replied politely, "But thank you." I later realized that his option had been best.

"Yeah, yeah, get me a glass of bourbon." Henderson said looking at him before his gaze returned to that gun of his.

"Alright." Daniels said opening the door again and heading out of it.

"A-and a shot of bourbon."

"Yeah, okay, okay." So Henderson liked bourbon...interesting.

"And a bourbon chaser!" This was becoming annoying Daniels had obviously heard him but Henderson kept asking him.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll get your damn bourbon!" Daniels's voice came from somewhere down the hall.

"Don't worry about the door." Henderson closed the door.

"Really? Do not worry about it, huh?" I asked him with my eyes narrowed. Now it was just the two of us...uh-oh. I did not like it. He turned around and faced me.

"Have you ever had a boyfriend?" He asked. I figured he was going to ask something similar.

"Yes and before you ask we are still together and he does not like it when men pester me for his name." I said hoping he would believe it considering Ardeth was not my boyfriend and I could not bring his name up. He huffed in annoyance before his attention turned to the canopic jar sitting in the seat beside him.

"Show off." I muttered as he pointed his gun at it. That was when there was howling sound outside, and I jumped up and went to one side of the room. He pointed the gun at the window and slowly walked forwards. Apparently there wasn't anything outside, because he then turned around again. But then sand appeared out of nowhere behind him, and Imhotep was there. I was not going to let Imhotep through the door but I had to try not to gag as he sucked poor Henderson until he was bone. Then he turned to me.

"_**Serket still fearless I see.**_" He said before he walked swiftly to my side and roughly grabbed my throat before squeezing as hard as he could.

"_Ardeth._" That one word left my lips as darkness engulfed me.

(Ardeth's eyes)

We quickly arrived back at their hotel and heard a roar from the upper rooms.

"He's here." Jonathan said making me feel nervous hoping Raissa was unharmed. O'Connell opened the door and we saw Henderson's corpse but Raissa was nowhere in sight I then saw sand outside of the door Evelyn was locked in.

"O'Connell." I whispered he looked at me before picking up the white cat he seemed to remember what Raissa had told him. He kicked in the door I stood still. There was Raissa barely conscious her neck riddled with bruises and Imhotep held her arm behind her back so she could not move while he kissed Evelyn.

"Hey get your ugly face off of her!" O'Connell said Imhotep looked at us his eyes landing on me I knew he recognized me from my past life. He yelled something in Ancient Egyptian but I could not make it out Raissa saw me and shook her head telling me not to help her. Imhotep saw her and twisted her arm she cried out in pain making my temper build.

"Look what I got." O'Connell said holding up the cat as Evelyn rolled to the other side of the bed the cat hissed and Imhotep vanished in a sandstorm that knocked us all to the floor. I quickly stood and sighed he had not taken Raissa with him.

"Are you alright?" O'Connell asked Evelyn I held out a hand and Raissa took it pulling herself up.

**"Are you alright?**"I asked she nodded I knew the creature was still alive but I was glad Raissa was safe. We rushed back to the museum and met with my father who did not appreciate the news.

(Raissa's eyes)

"Yes well according to legend the black book the Americans found at Hamunaptra is supposed to bring people back from the dead until now it was a notion I was unwilling to believe." Evie said as we continued up another flight of stairs.

"Believe it sister that's what brought our buddy back to life." Rick said grimly I winced at his tone.

"Yes and I'm thinking that if the black book can bring people back from the dead then-" Rick finished her sentence.

"Then maybe the gold book can kill him." he said.

"That's the myth now we just have to find where the gold book is hidden." Evie said before the sound of chanting came to our ears. I rushed to the window and saw thousands of people in a trance with Imhotep in the middle of them I let a sigh escape me. Ardeth stood next to me and gently grabbed my shaking hand which I was grateful for.

"Last but not least my favorite plague boils and sores." Jonathan said looking down at them.

"They have become his slaves so it has begun: the beginning of the end." Ardeth said making me a bit nervous.

"Not quite yet it hasn't come on." Evie said we went running to the stone to see it in a glass case.

"We don't have time for this." I said pulling my gun out and shooting it once cracking the glass. I then went over and hit the glass with my fist breaking it the rest of the way Evie examined the stone while I tried to stop the blood coming from my wrist. Ardeth slowly took my hand in his and wrapped a piece of cloth around it I smiled my thanks before going over and helping Evie.

"According to Bembridge scholars the golden book of Amun-Ra is located inside the statue of Anubis." Evie said reading the stone.

"That's where we found the black book." Daniels explained I nodded.

"Exactly." Evie said still looking at the stone.

"Well looks like the boys at Bembridge were mistaken." Jonathan said rather quickly.

"Yes they mixed the books up mixed up where they were buried so if the black book is inside the statue of Anubis then the golden book must be inside…" I trailed off as we hunted the stone for the answer. A large number of people began pounding on the door making Evie jump and me shake a little before we went back to the stone.

"Come on Evie faster." Jonathan said making me nervous.

"Patience is a virtue!" We said as the doors broke down and the people swarmed below us.

"Not right now it isn't." Rick said as Jonathan started to panic.

"Uh I think I'll just go get the car started." He said as he ran off.

"I've got it the golden book is at Hamunaptra inside the statue of Horus take that Bembridge scholars." Evie said as I grabbed her hand and the rest of us ran out to the car. Beni appeared at the door we had just run out of.

"IMHOTEP! IMHOTEP!" He cried Ardeth and I turned to see him in the large window we had just been in.

"You're going to get yours Beni! You're going to get yours!" Rick said turning to look at the traitor.

"Oh like I've never heard that before." He called back. Jonathan drove for miles before coming to a complete stop as he saw several slaves in front of them. Rick jammed his foot on the pedal making the car go forward knocking several of the people away from them but a lot of them managed to get on top of the car. Dr. Bey and Ardeth were holding their own as was Rick and Evie even Daniels was before he was pulled off the car but I was having a rough time considering half of them were trying to fight me at once. I managed to knock two or three of them off but one grabbed my throat and squeezed I tried yelling several times but nothing worked my eyesight faded and my hearing began to dwindle I hoped they would notice soon. Luck seemed to be with me for Rick and Ardeth turned and helped me with the rest of them both had punched the one holding my throat. We slammed into a well and jumped from the car Ardeth had to almost carry me before my senses slowly came back I soon started running in the same pace with him only to hit a dead end and being surrounded.

"It's the creature he's fully regenerated." Dr. Bey said as Imhotep walked through the crowd with Beni beside him.

"_**Keetah mi pharos, aja nilo, isirian.**_" He said walking forward with a hand held out.

"Come with me my princess it is time to make you mine forever." Beni translated making me scowl.

"For all eternity idiot." Evie and I said making him go over the translation again.

"_**Kootash dai na aja nilo.**_" Imhotep said holding out his hand again.

"Take my hand and I will spare your friends." Beni said.

"Oh dear, have you got any bright ideas?" Evie asked Rick.

"I'm thinkin', I'm thinkin'," he replied as he kept glancing around.

"You better think of something fast...because if he turns me into a mummy, you're the first one I'm coming after," She said, then stepped forward, taking Imhotep's hand. Imhotep looked pleased.

"No!" Rick said, pulling out his gun.

"Don't!" She yelled back to him.

"No!" Ardeth added, grabbing his arm while I grabbed his other side.

"He still has to take me to Hamunaptra to perform the ritual," Evie said to him.

"She's right. Live today, fight tomorrow." Ardeth said to him. Rick put away his gun.

"I'll be seeing you again," Rick said threateningly. Beni took the puzzle box from Jonathan's pocket.

"Hey, that's mine!" Jonathan said.

"Thank you," Beni said with a grin.

Chapter Eleven

(Rick's eyes)

Imhotep turned and walked out of sight before he said something in Egyptian which I really hated as the slaves moved closer.

"No! Let go of me! Let go of me!" Evie yelled making me hate the mummy even more. Beni then began grinning the slimy weasel.

"Good-bye my friends." He said cheerfully I broke free of Raissa's and Ardeth's grip. Yes I know his name my sister would never let me forget it.

"Come here you little-" I didn't finish my sentence as he ran off scared. I opened a manhole and grabbed Jonathan as Dr. Bey brought out a saber and began battling with the people.

"What about my sister?" He asked I choked back my anger.

"We're going to get her back. Go!" I said pushing him inside.

"You cannot fight them alone." Raissa said before Dr. Bey pushed her and Ardeth down the hole he then pushed me in and covering it. I quickly lit a match to see Raissa grabbed Ardeth's hand he squeezed it back noting her sympathy.

"Raissa are you alright?" I asked she nodded before I hugged her glad to have my sister safe with me.

"Rick let go of me!" She said rather loudly I groaned but did let her go messing her hair up as I did so making her giggle.

"Come on let's get going." I said before yelling when the fire on the match hit my fingers.

"Rick do you have another match?" Jonathan asked worriedly I sighed again and lit another one to see Ardeth had his arm around Raissa's waist and she was giggling at me.

"Not one word." I growled out making her giggle even more.

"Did I say anything?" She said through a new wave of giggles. When she had calmed down and we were out in the fresh night air we looked at each other.

"Oh brother I think it's time we visited an old friend." She said I nodded we needed Winston's help. We arrived at the airfield by morning and were trying to convince Winston to help us.

"So what's your little problem go to do with his Majesty's Royal Air Corps?" Winston asked sipping his tea I could tell Raissa was surprised that he was actually sober.

"Not a dang thing." I said catching his attention.

"Is it dangerous?" He asked making Raissa chuckle.

"Well you probably won't live through it." She said making him smile.

"By Jove you really think so?" He asked.

"Well everybody else we've bumped into has died why not you." Jonathan said Winston smiled.

"Ha ha Winston Havelock at your service!" He said standing and leading us to his plane. Raissa and I saw that there were only two seats one for Winston and one for whoever else.

"Rick will have to sit in the back." She stated making me look at her.

"I don't think so Raissa I'll ride on one of the wings you take the back." I said she shrugged her shoulders.

"Fine then I hope you have another way to get to Evie when his plane crashes." She said I turned to look at her she met my gaze defiantly.

"You are too heavy Rick if you ride on the wing with Ardeth or Jonathan we will end up crashing the first minute we are off the ground." She continued Ardeth saw her logic and nodded I let out a sigh and soon we were off with me behind Winston, Jonathan on the left wing and Ardeth and Raissa on the right happily trying to chat without yelling.

(Raissa's eyes)

Ardeth and I were just fine as we continued our talk before I heard Winston laughing and chatting with Rick it felt fine to me to be here.

"Hey Winston peddle faster!" I heard Rick yell I turned my head as much as I could to see Imhotep in the middle of a sandstorm that soon covered the ship. It vanished and the plane crashed hearing the boom was the last thing I heard.

(Ardeth's eyes)

O'Connell struggled but managed to get out of the seat and helped Jonathan off the wing he turned to see me remove the gun from it he then went looking for Raissa I followed him.

"Oh god no." O'Connell muttered when he saw Raissa trapped under the plane and part of the wing. I rushed forward and managed to get her free O'Connell was still shocked that his little sister was waking up and trying to laugh off the bump to her head before she stood stumbling which did make her laugh I did as well before the plane gave a lurch.

"Quicksand! Get back it's quicksand." I yelled I pulled Raissa close to me and the four of us moved away to a hill to see Hamunaptra. I had not let Raissa go but I could tell she did not mind.

"Well are you three coming or just going to stand there and stare? We still have to find Evie." Raissa said walking into a tunnel of Hamunaptra with me close behind her. We soon came to a doorway filled with rock.

Chapter Twelve

(Raissa's eyes)

"I'd take those bigger stones out first. Take them from the top otherwise the whole cave in on us. Come on put your backs into it!" Jonathan kept saying as we moved rock after rock. We all turned in one fluid motion and stared at him our expressions screaming at him to shut up.

"Yes well you've got the idea chop, chop." He said Ardeth and Rick turned back I had stopped to rest my arm.

"I say gents you should come and have a look at this." Jonathan said before I saw it was moving I slapped it out of his hand as Rick and Ardeth turned and the scarab buried itself in my skin.

"Rick give me your knife." I said he opened it and handed it to me. Needless to say he grimaced when I dug it into my skin and released a scarab which Rick shot as soon as it hit the floor. I handed him his knife back then ripped Jonathan's sleeve and tied it across my arm.

"You handled that well." Ardeth said I smiled before testing my arm finding I could move it but it would hurt a bit more.

"Hey you two come on we're through." Rick said I rolled my eyes but followed my brother into a darkened room. Rick squeezed through the small opening first, Ardeth followed and entered the room Jonathan had accidentally bumped into me a bit harder then he meant to and I went falling to the floor I waited to connect but found myself laying in Ardeth's open arms making me smile and laugh. I quickly stood and went to stand next to my brother. Hearing a gun about to be fired close to my ear I ducked just as Rick shot the ancient mirror and light filled the room.

"Next time make sure I am behind you." I snapped as I stood the four of us walked down the stairs. Jonathan couldn't believe the gold around us.

"Can you see?"

"Yeah."

"Can you believe?"

"Yeah."

"Can we just-?" Rick and I cut off his sentence this time.

"No." We said before a low growl could be heard behind us we turned to see mummies coming up through the floor.

"Who the heck are these guys?" Rick asked as they came up even more.

"Priests. Imhotep's priests." Ardeth and I said together making us smile at each other before we started shooting them. Jonathan saw something out of the corner of his eyes.

"There he is! Hello Horus old boy." He said taking the torch so he could see better and as he lit the other torches that surrounded the statue. Rick tossed his gun over Ardeth's head to me I caught it with ease Rick then struck a match against Ardeth's cheek lighting it making Ardeth and I glare at him he showed us the lit fuse of the dynamite.

"Time to close the door." He said tossing it in the door's direction Rick, Ardeth and Jonathan dove behind the statue as the explosive went off I stood there but was pulled down as a rock flew over my head I turned to see Ardeth had a hold on my arm he was also smiling at me again.

"**Thank you**." I whispered as we stood and quickly reloaded our weapons as Rick and Jonathan started digging. I turned towards the tunnel behind us when another low growl was heard.

"Dang these guys just don't quit do they?" Rick said as he groaned trying to pull the compartment loose. Ardeth and I shared a scowl before getting our weapons ready.

"Keep digging." We said before shooting at the mummies I had run out of bullets first so I grabbed my brother's rifle and hit one of the mummies with the butt of the gun.

"Save the girl! Kill the creature!" Ardeth cried as he too joined the battle I barely heard him tell Rick and Jonathan to get out as I pushed more of the mummies back down the tunnel. It was a rough battle but soon the mummies were gone and Ardeth and I were standing there trying to catch our breath.

"I really hate these guys." I said as I heard more coming down the tunnel Ardeth chuckled before the mummies emerged and the battle soon started again. The guns did not work but they did prove to be useful. I had just knocked one mummy to the ground when another came up from behind and grabbed my throat. My eye sight began to fade when I suddenly felt air being sucked into my lungs I looked to see that Ardeth had helped me. We had finally defeated them with only being scratched but again coming out victorious. Ardeth had sunk to the ground with me leaning my head on his shoulder trying to catch and even out my breathing.

"I cannot handle anymore of those." I said heavily closing my eyes in relief before I felt Ardeth's lips over mine I was shocked but I returned his kiss surprising him somewhat as he deepened it. As it finished we embraced each other finally happy as we realized that the other knew. Feeling the wall shake we broke apart.

"Your brother defeated him. We must go." Ardeth said grabbing my hand I nodded before running alongside him we escaped the ruins just as it sunk into the ground. I looked around to see that Ardeth had gone and gotten a camel so we could ride I got on with Ardeth behind me before we saw Rick, Jonathan and Evie a few feet from us I saw Ardeth smirk. The camel moved silently through the sand none of them noticed us until Ardeth and I each laid a rough hand on Jonathan's shoulders.

"OH THANK YOU! THANK YOU VERY MUCH!" He said his hand over his heart I slid down to the ground smiling up at Ardeth.

"You've earned the respect and the gratitude of me and my people," Ardeth said to us I blushed and I could tell he was holding back a laugh.

"Yes, well, it was nothing," Jonathan replied with a chuckle I ruefully rolled my eyes at him.

"May Allah smile upon you always," Ardeth continued, bidding us farewell. "And take good care of Raissa for me," He added as an afterthought. I stared at him before a giggle escaped my lips I smiled.

"**Take your own advice Ardeth you may need it. And we will meet again.**"I said he nodded Ardeth clicked his tongue, and the camel turned around and walked off.

"Yes, anytime," Jonathan said.

"Stay out of trouble," Rick added.

"He's just...leaving us here." Jonathan said.

"I know." I murmured softly. "But I'm sure we'll see him again soon."

Jonathan sighed. "Well, I guess we go home empty-handed...again."

"I wouldn't say that," Rick said, looking at Evie, who in turn looked back at my brother.

"Oh, please!" Jonathan moaned, as Rick leaned down and kissed Evie. I merely sighed and shook my head a little I looked back at the sun and I swore I could have seen Ardeth looking back at us.

"How 'bout you, darling? Would you like a little kissy-wssy?" Jonathan asked one of the camels, who lowered its head, breathed at Jonathan. "Whew!" I chuckled to myself. We climbed onto the camels, with my brother and Evie on the same camel, and rode towards Cairo.

The Mummy Returns

10 years later

(Raissa's eyes)

I sighed for what seemed like the tenth time that day as I thought of Rick and Evie searching for the Bracelet of Anubis and them leaving me here to baby-sit Jonathan who was definitely not a threat to anyone. I let my mind wander back to my favorite thought: Ardeth Bey, the mysterious Medjai that had left us in front of Hamunaptra and me with a heart only for him.

"Aunt Raissa we're home!" Alex, my eight year old nephew, yelled I smiled as I calmly walked down the stair case smiling down at them.

"Have a good time Rick?" I asked he nodded before looking at me strangely I tilted my head to match his puzzled gaze then I remembered what I was wearing. The shirt I had on was sleeveless so the tattoo of a scorpion on my right arm and the one of a snake on my left arm were showing Alex tossed me a shawl which I quickly pulled over them. Rick nodded as he set the suitcases down and followed Evie up the stairs. After looking in on Jonathan I went back to see Evie digging through Alex's pockets going on about how he was grounded if he had lost something.

"I haven't lost it I just can't find it there's a difference." He said forcefully I smiled knowing he had gotten that from his father. I pulled the shawl off my shoulders glad not to have to cover my tattoos anymore since Rick was not present.

"Well you had better start finding it then." She said I reached for my saber which hung off the side of my belt as a dark-skinned man in red robes appeared from around the corner.

"Good evening. Ah you must be the O'Connell sister." He said with a sneer looking at me again with the look every man, except Ardeth and my family did, lust.

"And if I am? What do you want here?" I asked pulling my sword out as Evie grabbed one from a rack against the doorframe.

"I'm looking for the chest of course." He said Alex grabbed it from the table while I moved in front of him. "Give it to me now."

"Get out of my house!" Evie said coolly she held the sword threateningly.

"Whoa mum maybe not the best idea." Alex said I silently cursed when more of the red-robed men appeared beside him. "Definitely not the best idea. I think it's time to yell for dad now."

"Alex get back there!" Evie commanded I made sure we were between the men and Alex.

"Now I will kill you and take it anyway." he said looking at us menacingly I wanted to take a step back but thought better of it.

"I think not." A very familiar voice said as the man I admired most stepped from the shadows.

"Ardeth what are you doing here?" Evie asked glancing at him he did not even attempt to look at her. But he did glance in my direction I flashed him a quick smile which he returned.

"Perhaps explanations are best kept for later." He said looking at the dark-skinned man with fury flashing in his eyes.

"Ardeth Bey." The man said I shot a scowl at him for even trying to make this sound friendly.

"Lock-Nah." Ardeth said before Lock-Nah gave an order and with a sweep of his arms the men flew into an attack that the three of us were swept into. I was battling with two men at once and managed to put them both on the ground before putting the men who were after Alex down on the floor as well.

"Not bad...for a Medjai," Lock-Nah commented before entering the fight himself I let out a gasp as someone caught my waist with his sword.

"Raissa!" Ardeth yelled over the fight as Evie was grabbed by her throat. I noticed that he was having a bit of trouble I quickly went over and locked blades with Lock-Nah before he could deliver a fatal blow.

"Stubborn girl! Why fight with them you could have everything if you join me." He said the conversation was pointless.

"I do not think so." I said cutting him across the arm and chest he snarled before slashing my arm and punching me sending me to the floor.

Chapter Thirteen

(Ardeth's eyes)

"What's in the chest?" I asked as I dodged the sword that was swung over my head.

"The Bracelet of Anubis!" Evelyn said.

"They must not get the bracelet get it and get out of here." I said blocking a blow from his sword. Evelyn had just grabbed the chest when someone hit her head.

"Mum!" young Alexander yelled as Evelyn was taken from the house

"Evelyn!" I yelled before Loch-Nah slashed my shoulder again sending me to the floor. I leaned up against a bookshelf holding the wound before dodging a knife Loch-Nah threw at me. Alex went over to Raissa who had not moved since her own battle with Loch-Nah.

"Aunt Raissa wake up." He said shaking her a few minutes passed and nothing happened. I was about to consider giving him bad news but Raissa groaned letting us know she was alright.

"We need to find Rick now." She said as she slowly stood. I went to her side and wrapped an arm around her waist and the three of us went to find O'Connell and Jonathan watching the cars that stole Evelyn from them.

"Dad. Dad!" Alex said running up to him O'Connell knelt down and hugged him before seeing his sister standing before him he gave her a curt nod which she returned.

"O'Connell." I said in greeting but O'Connell grabbed me and pushed me against the statue a flash of pain came from my shoulder but I ignored it. Raissa placed a hand on her brother's arm forcibly telling him to let go.

"What the heck are you doing here? No scratch that I don't care who the heck are those guys and where are they taking my wife?" O'Connell said roughly letting go of me.

"My friend I am not sure but wherever this man is your wife will surely be." I said holding up a photo Alex snatched it from my hand making me look at him.

"Hey I know him." Alex said before Raissa pulled the photo from his hand.

"He's the curator works at the British museum." She said handing the photo back to me my fingertips barely brushing hers sending jolts through my hand I quickly ignored them even though I did not want to.

"Are you sure?" I asked them O'Connell placed a hand on his son's shoulder.

"You better believe them they spend more time there then they do at home." O'Connell said running off with Alex.

"May I ask why?" I asked as Jonathan, Raissa and I followed him.

"Alex is just like Evie and Raissa said she missed someone in Egypt." Jonathan said before Raissa hit him I chuckled. I had missed her as well.

(Raissa's eyes)

"Ok you're here bad guys are here Evie's been kidnapped let me guess?" Rick said sarcastically I couldn't believe Ardeth was here.

"Yes they once again raised the creature from his grave." He said before I felt a stabbing pain in my side I looked to see that I was bleeding a bit badly.

"I don't mean to point fingers but isn't your job to make sure that DOESN'T happen." Jonathan said holding a golden object.

"Jonathan be quiet." I said. Ardeth smiled at me making butterflies fly about in my stomach and making me blush as well.

"The woman that was with him. She knows things. Things no living person could possibly know she knew exactly where the creature was buried. We were hoping she would lead us to the bracelet she obviously did and now they have it." He said as we made it to the car.

"I wouldn't get too nervous just yet." Alex said moving his sleeve away to let us see the Bracelet of Anubis Ardeth gently held Alex's wrist.

"When I put it on I saw the pyramids at Giza then whoosh straight across the desert to Karnack." Alex said as I became worried about him and the consequences he had set in motion.

"By putting this on you have started a chain reaction that could bring about the next apocalypse." Ardeth said making Alex gasp and Rick place a hand on his shoulder.

"You lighten up, you big trouble, you two get in the car." Rick said after getting in the car we sped down London's streets towards the museum.

"I am sorry if I alarmed your son," Ardeth said, "But you must understand. Now that the bracelet is on his wrist, we have only seven days before the Scorpion King awakens."

"We? What we?" Rick asked as I ripped my shirt and tied the cloth over my wound before feeling something move inside it. Stifling a scream I pulled out a long piece of glass while blood spurted from the cut I retied the cloth before I lost too much. I then ripped another piece and tied it over my arm I sighed in relief before I saw Ardeth staring at me out of the corner of his eye.

"If he is not killed, he will raise the army of Anubis," He explained I shuddered in annoyance. He managed to hide a chuckle I giggled at him.

"I take it that's not a good thing," Jonathan commented leaning up to the front seat.

"Oh, he'll wipe out the world," Rick replied.

"Ah, the old 'wipe out the world' ploy," Jonathan muttered falling back as though it was just a normal day and I had to smile for us it was.

"Whoever can kill the Scorpion King can send his army back to the Underworld, or use it to destroy mankind and rule the Earth." Ardeth said making me groan.

"So that's why they dug up Imhotep, 'cause he's the only guy tough enough to take out the Scorpion King," Rick said.

"That is their plan," Ardeth replied. We arrived at the museum I got out of the car as quickly as I could without stumbling while Ardeth came to stand beside me.

"**Raissa maybe you should stay here.**" He said as I leaned against him I shook my head.

"**Evie is my family I am not just going to sit by and watch her get hurt.**" I said he smiled before wrapping an arm around my waist and heading to the back of Rick's car.

"You want the shotgun?" Rick asked Ardeth once we were next to him it sounded as though it was a casual conversation.

"No I prefer the Thompson." he replied just as casual I had already grabbed the guns I wanted so I waited on the two of them that was when I noticed Rick was showing a tattoo that looked very familiar.

"If I were to say to you that I am a stranger traveling from the east seeking that which is lost?" Ardeth recited those words with a smile.

"Then I would reply that I am a stranger traveling from the west it is I whom you seek." I joined my voice with my brother's making Ardeth look at me in shock.

"Then it is true. You have the sacred mark." He said grabbing Rick's arm reminding him of the tattoo.

"What that? No that got slapped on us when we were in an orphanage at Cairo." Rick said I smiled at the memory for it was there that I had gotten the other tattoos as well.

"That mark means you are a protector of man. A warrior for God. A Medjai." Ardeth said honor coating his voice I moved the sleeve long enough to let him see the tattoo on my shoulder before going into the museum. We could hear Mr. Hafez reading from something before three mummies came to life I walked right past them considering they were behind glass. We then saw an ember cocoon in the middle of the room below the balcony where we were standing.

"You know a couple of years ago this would have seemed really strange to me." Rick said going down as unnoticeably as possible while Ardeth and I readied ourselves for the gunfight. Imhotep was soon awakened and started spouting out Ancient Egyptian so fast even I had trouble following.

Chapter Fourteen

(Ardeth's eyes)

"Raissa are you in any pain?" I whispered to her she looked a bit shocked but I had felt her blood on my hand.

"A bit but we will deal with it later now we have to help them." She said as she started to fire her weapons I did the same before both of us hid while reloading our weapons. I flashed a smile she twirled the guns in her hands before returning it she was still beautiful. She nodded and we came from behind the pillar shooting again before going behind them again. I managed to keep a cry from escaping as a bullet grazed my shoulder and one buried itself in my arm.

"We can worry about the bullets later Ardeth right now we need to get to my brother." She said pulling my arm so I was at her side until we met with O'Connell.

"Raissa you and I are going to talk about those tattoos of yours." O'Connell yelled as he ran up the stairs I looked at her arm to see one of a scorpion and groaned I immediately regretted bringing her into this.

"Rick we can talk later right now we need to-" A roar cut her sentence off we looked to see four warrior mummies I groaned as did Raissa. This was becoming more then I wanted to handle.

"Like I said we can talk later." She said pushing O'Connell and myself forward while grabbing Evelyn's wrist and pulling her along. I smiled and grabbed her hand making her let go of Evelyn and we ran from the building and to O'Connell's car not seeing Jonathan or Alex.

(Raissa's eyes)

"Where the heck's Jonathan?" Rick yelled before they came around the corner in a double-decker bus. I smirked before rushing to the back of the bus and climbing into it. Rick joined Ardeth and me a few minutes later. I stuck my head out of the door to see the four mummies burst through the wall of the museum and then over towards Rick car before crushing it.

"No, no! Not my car!" Rick yelled. "Oh, I hate mummies," He groaned making me laugh Ardeth coughed he seemed to be hiding his own laughter.

"Glad to see me now?" He asked Rick gave a half-smile.

"Just like old times, huh?" He said before going up to the top of the bus.

"**Raissa be careful.**" Ardeth whispered I gave him a reassuring smile before a mummy tried to board the bus I grabbed Ardeth's gun from his hands and shot at it until it fell back through the doorway. As I was reloading the blasted thing the upper half of the mummy somehow found its way back onto the bus scratching my face. I pushed Ardeth out of the way and managed to keep it from getting to Evie and Alex before the nails it had grew three times the original size slashed across my face giving me three long scratches. I threw a punch before it clawed me again sending me to the floor Ardeth taking up the rest of my fight was the last thing I saw before darkness grabbed me.

(Ardeth's eyes)

This abomination had already hurt Raissa I was not about to let it hurt Evelyn or Alex. After being scratched to no end I landed in a seat badly beaten and bruised it made a move to scratch me again but a gunshot sent it flying back I looked to see that Evelyn had one of O'Connell's guns and was firing it repeatedly until the creature had went out the window. I immediately went over to Raissa. The scratches seemed to have part of the nails embedded in them I then noticed the cut in her side was bleeding again I shook my head and sighed she was still stubborn and could handle pain after all these years.

"Ardeth you might want to move your hand from my cheek otherwise Rick will get angry." She said weakly I chuckled but did move my hand before helping her sit up. A muffled scream made us turn to see Alex being dragged from the bus Raissa jumped to her feet and ran from the bus but the bridge coming up stopped her. She and O'Connell, who had chased after the car as well, walked back each one deeply saddened. O'Connell held Evelyn close trying to comfort her.

"Please, do not fear for your son, my friends," I began, "They cannot hurt him, for he wears the Bracelet of Anubis."

"Alex is wearing the bracelet?" Evelyn asked with a frown, looking at O'Connell and us.

"When he put it on, he said he saw the pyramids at Giza, he saw the temple at Karnak," O'Connell said to her.

"Yes, and when they reach Karnak, the bracelet will show him the next step of the journey," I explained.

"Well, if we don't get to Karnak before them, we won't have any idea where to look for him next." Evelyn pointed out before my eyes moved on Raissa who was standing away from everyone and was silent.

"**Raissa are you alright?**"I asked she almost nodded before sighing.

"**Ardeth, Loch-Nah was your friend once Alex is my nephew he is the only person in the family that understands me we have to find him.**"I had never heard Raissa sound so distraught I gently held her as sobs escaped her throat it hurt me to hear her and apparently the others had never heard her cry at least not like this. O'Connell was shocked, Evelyn had a hand over her mouth to stop her own sobs and Jonathan simply stared I quickly ignored them as I heard her calm down.

"**We will find him I promise but right now we need to get those scratches cleaned.**"I said jokingly she groaned and gave me a light scowl we climbed back onto the bus and let Jonathan drive us back to the house.

"**Should I tell them about the bullet buried in your arm?**"Raissa asked threateningly I grimaced but she smiled before getting off the bus I followed her making sure she was not going to collapse. After she removed the bullet which was unpleasant I helped her remove the nails from her cheek and sew up both wounds she did not even flinch.

"Now that you two are better we need to get ready to go." O'Connell said.

Chapter Fifteen

(Raissa's eyes)

"Raissa go check on Evie she went up to her room an hour ago and hasn't come down since." Rick said I nodded and rushed upstairs before I heard something hit the wall I opened the door to see her kicking the wall her anger getting the better of her.

"Evie calm down." I said she twirled I could see the anger flashing in her eyes before she came at me I held one hand while blocking the rest of her blows. Her anger turned to tears quickly when she was done trying to hit me.

"I want him back Raissa. I want him back." She sobbed as I held her close I pulled away from her and made her look at me.

"He will be fine. Evie he has your abilities to know everyplace in Egypt almost, Rick's way with words and Jonathan's way of being a bit klutzy. He will be just fine I know it." I said she nodded and went back downstairs I sighed as tears welled up in my own eyes I angrily wiped them away and finished packing for Evie slipping my arm bands that I hid in her room in my pocket.

"**What does he get from you I wonder?**" A voice said I jumped and turned to see Ardeth leaning against the doorframe a curious expression on his face.

"**I do not know. He has many things from them but I have never seen a bit of me in the child.**" I said as he crossed the room and closed the suitcase before gently grabbing my arms making me face him.

"**I have. His courage matches your own and if you doubt me think back to the fight we had he watched most children when they see a fight they run from it.**" He said softly I thought and nodded with a sad smile Alex had my courage he would be fine.

"**Ardeth I truly did miss you.**" I said hugging him close he returned it before walking out of the room I grabbed Evie's suitcase and followed him downstairs.

"**I have to go meet with the other tribe leaders so I will not be accompanying you.**" He said making me look at him.

"**I am going with you.**" I said when we were downstairs he looked at me shocked.

"**Raissa I think you should go with the others they might need you.**" I placed a hand over his mouth stopping his sentence.

"**I am not going with them they will make me stay here or make sure I am of no use to them. I can help you though I know I can.**" I said moving my hand away Ardeth smiled and ruefully rolled his eyes before giving me a brief hug.

"Fine but tell them first otherwise they will be scared for you as well." He said I nodded and went to tell them.

(Ardeth's eyes)

I stayed near the door just in case Raissa and I felt like leaving sooner then I had planned. Raissa came back with a smile on her face.

"They said I could go but it took a little help from Evie to let Rick let me go." She said as we stepped into the night air a neigh made her turn her head and I smiled.

"Now why would you have two horses when you are the only Medjai that came here?" Raissa said teasingly. I shrugged but brought both horses into the light loving the look of excitement on Raissa's face.

"I thought he would not let anyone touch him how do he let you?" She asked as she petted the wild horse she had tamed they both seemed happy and grateful to be together again.

"I am surprised he let me get him here." I said climbing onto my horse as she did the same on hers.

"Let us go." She said as the horses reared and headed off in a gallop she laughed clearly enjoying the freedom I smiled hoping this would last. We quickly got the leaders together and after meeting with the tribal elders of each camp went to meet with O'Connell and the others.

Chapter Sixteen

(Evelyn's eyes)

We saw Ardeth and Raissa sitting atop their horses with several people behind them. Rick nodded to Ardeth who returned the gesture before helping Raissa off her horse.

"These are the commanders of the twelve tribes of the Medjai. Horus!" Ardeth said calling for a falcon that landed on his arm.

"Ah pet bird." Jonathan said clearly not impressed Ardeth petted his falcon.

"My best and most clever friend." Ardeth said shooting a glance to Raissa who returned it mischievously. "He will let the commanders know of our progress so that they may follow." He finished before turning and giving the leaders a warm but clear warning to be careful they returned it and rode off.

"If the Army of Anubis arises they will do all they can to stop it." Raissa said as we followed Izzy to wherever he was taking us.

"Rick are you sure Izzy's reliable?" I asked before hearing Raissa sigh I looked as she leaned up against Ardeth he wrapped his arm around her both were smiling. I couldn't help but smile at the romance between them.

"Yeah he's reliable-ish." Rick said I rolled my eyes before we came to a dirigible.

"Isn't she beautiful?" Izzy called to us.

"It's a balloon," Rick said looking at him as if he was crazy.

"Oh! It's a dirigible." Izzy explained.

"Where's your airplane?" Rick asked.

"Ha! Airplanes are a thing of the past." Izzy said walking back up to him

"Izzy, you were right," Rick said subtly getting a gun out.

"I was?" He asked completely clueless.

"Yeah, you're going to get shot." Rick said pointing the now loaded gun at him making him hold up his hands and back up while explaining.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! She's faster than she looks. And she's quiet. Real quiet. Perfect for sneaking up on people, which is a very good thing. Unless, of course, we go with your approach: barging in face-first, guns blazing, and getting your friends shot in the butt!" He added to Rick who shrugged before putting his gun away.

"Why can't you people ever keep your feet on the ground?" Raissa and Ardeth said laughing at each other. Soon we were off in the dirigible to find Alex, Jonathan was trying to get the scepter out of Izzy's hiding place while talking to Ardeth. Raissa sat near him while looking on at Rick and myself.

(Raissa's eyes)

"O'Connell does not want to believe but he flies like Horus to his destiny." Ardeth said while I saw that Jonathan wasn't interested in the conversation

"Yes, yes very interesting. So tell me more about this gold pyramid." He said I rolled my eyes shaking my head in the process Ardeth felt the same but did explain.

"Well it is written that since the time of the Scorpion King no man who has laid eyes upon it has ever returned to tell the tale." Ardeth said stroking Horus' feathers.

"Where is all this stuff written? Hello…" Jonathan said as he pulled the scepter from Izzy's hiding spot he looked up at him to make sure he couldn't see that he had it before turning to look at Ardeth and me.

"Pretty nice eh? This is all I have left in the world the rest of my fortune was lost to some rather unscrupulous characters actually." Jonathan said brandishing the scepter around I managed to hide a laugh.

"Well if the curator reacted to it the way you say it must be very important. If I were you I would keep it close." Ardeth said.

"You had better listen to him Jonathan." I said but Jonathan held the scepter higher.

"My friend, the gods couldn't take this from me" He said before Izzy grabbed it.

"Hey that's mine." Izzy said trying to pull it out of Jonathan's hands.

"No it's not." Jonathan said through clenched teeth pulling down but Izzy pulled it from his grasp.

"Keep your hands off it." Izzy said Jonathan pouted making me giggle and Ardeth chuckle before I stood and leaned against the railing.

"**Raissa are you alright?**" Ardeth asked I smiled and nodded before a wave of dizziness hit me I hid a groan as I sat down Ardeth saw it. I managed to hide a curse.

"**Just a little dizzy I am fine.**" I said he did not believe me so he told Rick and they both looked at me until Rick's eyes landed on the cut in my side.

"When did that happen?" He asked angrily I sighed and told him about the fight he immediately went to get Evie I glared at Ardeth.

"**Next time just tell me I was worried.**" He said wrapping an arm around my waist I moved closer to him and fell asleep feeling comfortable at long last.

(Evelyn's eyes)

I quickly clamped a hand over my mouth to stop a giggle from escaping. Raissa had fallen asleep against Ardeth, who, surprisingly didn't seem to mind he quickly put Horus on the railing before grabbing a nearby blanket covering her before she got too cold. I waited until Ardeth was asleep before going over and checking the cut in her side hoping she didn't move.

"She has done what is needed we just have to be careful…" I left the sentence in the air as Raissa stirred a bit before moving closer to Ardeth that was when I saw a glitter of gold coming from her pocket I pulled her arm bands out and smiled.

"Rick you need to calm down those tattoos are just a reminder that she can take care of herself and she knows it." I said when he started ranting about them again.

"Will you two please be quiet he is a light sleeper." A whisper said we turned to see Raissa awake and trying to get out of Ardeth's grip. I shook my head and handed her the arm bands which she happily slipped on before hearing a chuckle she looked to see Ardeth awake.

(Ardeth's eyes)

"**You could have let go when you woke up.**" She said I nodded then shrugged.

"**I could have but then you would have had the others worrying over you.**" I said she sighed and moved closer making me flash a smile.

"**Ardeth why did you groan when you saw the tattoos I had?**" She asked softly I sighed before answering.

"**Does the name Serket mean anything to you?**" I asked she nodded.

"**When I first encountered Imhotep he called me that.**" Raissa said I growled the creature had recognized her and she had risked her life when it meant her death.

"**Serket was the ancient Egyptian scorpion goddess of magic. As with other dangerous goddesses, she was both a protective goddess, and one who punished the wrong doers with her burning wrath. She could punish those with the poison of a scorpion or snake, causing breathlessness and death, or she could protect against the same venom.**" I explained she nodded but I had to make it clear to her.

"**Ardeth are you saying that I am her reincarnation?**" Raissa asked surprisingly I nodded and she let out a groan.

"**I should have told you sooner but I had not known about those tattoos until now. She bore them as well along with those bands. It is said that those bands represented the most deadliest of scorpions and snakes. This was what she could create at anytime.**" I said Raissa looked as though it was her fault for something.

"**They were not after Alex they were after me. I can probably control the Scorpion King.**" She said I shook my head and made her look at me.

"**No you cannot control him but you might be able to help stop him you are the key to destroying him.**" I said holding her close before she stood up and leaned against the railing I reprimanded myself for telling her.

Chapter Seventeen

(Raissa's eyes)

I felt like crying but something kept me from doing so. I had been the one that Anck-su-namun entrusted with her relationship with Imhotep and they blamed me for destroying it. I had found this out when I saw that Ardeth knew more then he was telling. I leaned against the railing and tried to get my thoughts in order. Knowing that I was an all powerful goddess from ancient times was a bit surprising but it certainly cleared up why I loved Egypt so much or why I was so obsessed with scorpions and snakes.

"If a man does not embrace his past, he has no future," Ardeth said to Rick who was trying not to sound impatient.

"Look, even if…I was some sort of sacred Medjai, what good does that do me now?" he asked wondering why this was just now coming up.

"It is the missing piece of your heart. If you embrace it, if you accept it, you can do anything." Ardeth said his eyes looking from Rick to me.

"Maybe you should listen to him Rick." I said probably sounding angrier then I meant to.

"Sounds great. Listen. What can we expect from our old friend Imhotep?" Rick continued obviously ignoring me.

"His powers are returning quickly. By the time he reaches Ahm Shere, even the Scorpion King won't be able to stop him." I sighed in annoyance. A yell suddenly interrupted my thoughts I looked to the other railing to see Evie go over the side I had to follow her to catch her and managed to grab the side of the basket to stop her descent and my own.

"Raissa what happened?" She asked a few moments later I had to smile.

"You fell off the basket can you see if you can bend up and grab my wrist?" I asked she managed to do that I let her ankle go and she grabbed the basket as well.

"Now what do we do?" Evie asked as she grabbed it with both hands I pulled myself up and over the side she did the same landing on top of me making us both laugh.

"What the heck was that?" Rick asked looking at us as though we were insane we looked at each other and fell into a fit of giggles again.

"_**Should we tell them Raissa?**_" Evie asked playfully I nodded since my breath was lost she quickly explained what had happened and how we had ended up going over the side which made us giggle again.

"Evie I know you haven't really been yourself lately with all these dreams and visions…" Rick trailed off as Evie took over.

"No they're memories from my previous life honestly I'm not losing my mind it all makes perfect sense now." She said.

"And that's the reason why we found the bracelet?" Rick continued I knew something was going to wrong with this I just didn't know what.

"Exactly, I was its protector." She said I gave her a small smile in comfort.

"Now do you believe, my friend? Clearly, you were destined to protect this woman," Ardeth said hoping this time he could get his point to Rick across.

"Right. She's a reincarnated princess, and I'm a warrior for God." Rick said sarcastically while wrapping an arm around Evie's shoulders.

"And your son leads the way to Ahm Shere. Three sides of the pyramid. This was all preordained thousands of years ago." He said readily as if he had known this for some time.

"And how does the story end?" Evie asked obviously scared.

"Ah. Only the journey is written; not the destination." Ardeth said clearly making me smile.

"Convenient," Rick commented obviously not liking how Ardeth was phrasing everything.

"How else do you explain Evie's visions?" Ardeth asked, "That it is your son, who wears the bracelet? How do you explain your mark?"

"Coincidence," Rick said matter-of-factly.

"My friend, there is a fine line between coincidence and fate." Ardeth said before Evie shared a look with the two of us and a vision floated in front of my eyes.

_**"Serket are you well?" Princess Nefertiti, or Evie, asked as she walked by me in the palace halls.**_

_**"Yes I am well have you seen my sister Isis I must convene with her?" I asked while still pondering how I knew to say that. Nefertiti shook her head.**_

_**"No I have not but best wishes to your life." She said I tilted my head before placing a hand on Nefertiti's shoulder.**_

_**"My dear child what troubles you to speak so?" I asked making Nefertiti look at me.**_

_**"My father believes Anck-su-namun is a perfect woman it hurts me to see her break his heart with Imhotep." She said staring at the ground when she had finished speaking I felt guilt rising in my throat which I tried to get rid of.**_

_**"Alas I do not have much wisdom but remember you have protected him thus far may the gods give you strength to do it again." I said Nefertiti smiled at her before heading down the hall. I walked briskly down the hall to my own room to see my love had waited for me but his eyes told me something was wrong.**_

_**"Saranac what is wrong?" I asked hurrying to him he placed his hands on my shoulders so I understood how serious the situation was.**_

_**"Imhotep has betrayed your trust for he thinks you betrayed his he has murdered Pharaoh Seti and told Rameses that we have been seeing each other. Rameses wants to see to it that you are killed what is to become of me I do not know." He said I couldn't quite make out his face but I felt safe standing in the middle of a room wrapped in his arms I started to shake when I heard someone pounding on the door I knew subconsciously that it was Imhotep.**_

_**"Saranac you must leave you know the punishment I face you will as well. Just leave without me please." I said placing a hand on his cheek I wasn't surprised to see that Saranac was Ardeth who was sharing the vision for his eyes were glittering with love reflecting in them.**_

_**"Serket I will not leave nor will I see you die by his hand come with me we will escape together." He said before the door flew open and Imhotep walked inside with several other guards with him. Saranac was pulled from me and Imhotep drove a dagger in right below my heart Saranac cried out and struggled to get to me but the light in Serket's eyes went out. Before the vision completely ended I saw Saranac cursing Imhotep in Ancient Egyptian before he turned and smirked at him before saying something to the guards who pulled Saranac's arms behind his back while Imhotep stepped in front of him and shoved the knife into his abdomen several times Saranac dropped to the floor and grabbed Serket's hand before darkness took the scene.**_

"Raissa, Ardeth wake up." Evie said shaking us I groaned before shaking my head while Ardeth rubbed his eyes trying to get rid of the scene.

"Did you see that?" I asked Evie nodded before placing a gentle but understanding hand on my shoulder while Ardeth wrapped an arm around my waist.

"Alright Raissa what the heck just happened?" Rick asked looking at me confusion written on his and Jonathan's faces.

"It appears Evie isn't the only one with a past life." I said with a sigh as I leaned into Ardeth's grasp as he tightened it. Evie began explaining the vision with some help from Ardeth while I sat there trying to make sense of some of this.

"**Raissa are you alright?**" Ardeth asked I nodded but I wasn't alright I wanted to say I had just fallen asleep but I would have been lying to myself again. I had a past life that had my family killed off one by one I had to wonder if it would happen here as well.

"Raissa why are you having these visions as well?" Rick asked I explained.

"That I cannot answer maybe just instinct or just trying to remember." I said Rick clenched his teeth and tried not to start yelling I could tell this was becoming more then he could handle.

"Alright so what does this mean for you?" Jonathan asked I didn't want to answer him but Evie did.

"It means we have to be careful or Imhotep will recognize her." Evie said as Ardeth finished her explanation.

"Serket entrusted her secret relationship of her and Saranac with Imhotep but when Anck-su-namun killed herself he thought that no one deserved to be happy. So when they were betrayed Imhotep was the one to kill her." Ardeth grounded out the last part of his sentence in disgust that Rick could probably match.

(Ardeth's eyes)

She silently moved away from the group and stood at the side I had hated Imhotep once but now I despised him with a passion for he had ruined our love life once I had to wonder if he would do it again.

"_Raissa are you alright?_" I asked quietly as I walked up behind her and wrapped my arms around her Raissa sighed.

"_Just worried for Alex and for us. If Imhotep sees one of us he'll know us immediately I-_"Her sentence was cut off as I turned her and held her close she held me just the same I suddenly did not care about what Imhotep would do I just wanted Raissa to feel safe and right then she was.

"_I won't let him hurt you again Serket I promise and a Medjai always keeps a promise._" I whispered she smiled and nodded before kissing my cheek.

(Rick's eyes)

"Now that's bloody impossible." Jonathan said as he watched the couple I had let my jaw drop as I watched my sister and my friend. Both were happy I could see it but I could also see a love blossoming between them and I knew my sister would have fought me to have it so I did nothing glad to see my little sister happy again. As soon as we reached Karnack Ardeth and I checked the train while Raissa and Evie checked the temple. I rushed from car to car all of them were empty.

"They've gone we've lost them!" Ardeth yelled as he jumped out of another car.

"RICK!" Evie's cry alerted us we ran in guns ready to attack I went to Evie never noticing what was going on with Ardeth and Raissa.

"Alex left us his tie," Evie said to us, "And...He made us a little sand castle. It's the Temple Island of Philae. They've gone to Philae." We quickly got back on the dirigible and were on our way.

"Raissa maybe you should try practicing your powers again." Evie said we looked at her as though she was speaking a separate language.

"Evie you really think I have Serket's ability to manipulate snakes and scorpions?" Raissa asked Evie nodded while Ardeth began to speak.

(Raissa's eyes)

"She maybe right she still remembers her old fighting ways let us see if you can." He said encouragingly I closed my eyes and tried to focus on the heat of the power, the power that lay just beyond my reach. I could feel a heat flood into my body pouring out of my fingers before I remembered the old ways the very power that had left me but it had returned now. Suddenly feeling something slither and crawl down my arms I opened my eyes to see an Egyptian asp in my left hand and a king scorpion in my right hand.

"Impossible." Rick said before I smiled as they threateningly moved as if to keep them away from me Ardeth moved forward and they made a move to strike but I began to speak.

"_**He is Saranac he will not harm me. They will not either.**_" I said they relaxed and moved back up my arms before vanishing everyone stared before Ardeth chuckled.

"**Well I would say you certainly remember.**" He said I laughed with him. After reaching Philae we saw that the next location was the great temple of Abu Simbel Ardeth alerted the leaders and went to that location after that was Ahm-Shere.

"That's the Blue Nile down there," Rick commented as we flew in between two cliffs no one moved much just in case we hit the cliffs by accident. "We must be out of Egypt by now."

"In ancient times, all this still belonged to the upper kingdom. The oasis must be around here somewhere." Evie said.

"Don't worry, Evie. We'll find him. He's a smart kid. He'll leave us a sign." Rick reassured her I quit listening to them after that. I hoped that Alex was safe and that my past life would not be a problem with rescuing him.

"Raissa are you alright?" Ardeth asked once he noticed that I had quit listening to everyone.

"Just tired of letting these wounds beat me." I lied as I grabbed my side in pain for the third time in the last few minutes.

"But they have not beaten you as long as you are able to move and fight so skillfully." Ardeth said making me reminisce.

"Ardeth do you remember how we met?" I teased he placed a hand over his eyes embarrassed by the memory I smiled before moving his hand away.

"I seem to recall a certain woman knocking me off of my horse then having me on my knees because I was distracted." He said I laughed with him.

"And now look at us the greatest of friends and maybe something more." I said cryptically before a roar stopped us we looked to see a giant pillar of water flooding the cavern.

"We're in trouble!" Izzy said I held onto the railing while Ardeth let Horus fly before he held onto the other side Rick directed Izzy who flew us to safety but knocked us to the floor of the airship several times.

"Everyone alright?" Rick asked breathlessly I nodded as I helped Ardeth to his feet.

"Are you alright?" I asked moving my wet hair out of my face he nodded clasping my hand reassuring me.

"Uh people." Jonathan said Ardeth and I turned and our eyes saw a beautiful paradise.

"Ahm-Shere." We said before Ardeth and I heard a familiar sound coming towards us.

"He's back!" Izzy said before taking off again throwing us all to the floor Ardeth and I held each other as we felt water pour over us before all went black.

Chapter Eighteen

(Evelyn's eyes)

Rick and I pulled Jonathan to his feet before noticing the other two.

"Ardeth, Raissa wake up." I said gently shaking them Raissa awoke I went to Rick's side as Raissa tried to wake Ardeth. He and Izzy were arguing but soon put a stop to it I then saw Jonathan hiding the golden scepter in his jacket making me smile. Ardeth and Raissa were holding each other up as they stood each one had a bruise or two but didn't seem to notice them. They made their way over to us trying to salvage what we could from the wreck Ardeth wrapped a message to Horus' leg and let him go. We then left Izzy to figure a way to make his ship work following a path we suddenly heard a gunshot ring through the forest.

"Horus!" Raissa and Ardeth yelled the falcon didn't return they turned.

"I must go." Ardeth said making Rick look at him.

"What? Why?" Rick asked making Raissa look at him sadly.

"I must let the commanders know where we are." He said Rick rushed over to him.

"But I need you to help me find my son." Rick said making Raissa look at Ardeth who relented.

"Then first I shall help you." Ardeth said before continuing down the path we found a small ledge over the very valley our enemies would be walking through.

"Do you hear that?" Rick and I asked we smiled at each other.

"What?" Ardeth and Raissa asked noticing that there was nothing making a sound.

"Nothing. Absolutely nothing." Rick said suspiciously Jonathan went to explore making Raissa ruefully shake her head.

"Shrunken heads? I'd love to know how they do that?" Jonathan said everyone else looked at him as though he was crazy. Ardeth stood up and walked over to Jonathan, who had just picked up a rifle I had handed him.

"You any good with that?" Ardeth asked him.

"Three times Fox and Hound's grand champion, I'll have you know," Jonathan boasted, "You any good with that?" He added, nodding to the scimitar that Ardeth was clutching.

"You will know soon enough." In a flash, the scimitar was at Jonathan's neck. "Because the only way to kill an Anubis warrior is by taking off its head."

"I'll remember that," Jonathan said, gulping. Ardeth removed the scimitar with a nod and possibly a small smile. He walked over to Raissa who was giggling it would be alright but I couldn't help but notice the feeling of dread that formed in the pit of my stomach.

(Raissa's eyes)

"Come on you two we'll be going down there while Evie and Jonathan stay up here and shoot enemies we can't see coming." Rick said I followed him quickly Ardeth did the same and the battle began as pygmy mummies came to life and started stabbing everyone in sight. I ducked one before I saw that they weren't after me.

"RAISSA!" Ardeth yelled out I ran looking for him finally spotting him about to be shot at.

"I do not think so." I stated shooting the man without a thought. Ardeth turned and sighed in relief.

"We have to get to-LOOK OUT!" I said as I pushed Ardeth to one side before landing on the other side as Lock-Nah's blade hit the earth between us.

"Stubborn girl." He said angrily as I stood and fought with him.

"I'm not the one who is going to die in this fight." I said blocking the swing at my side before he tried at my other side Ardeth blocked that I smiled at him. That is until I was met with Lock-Nah's backhand sending me to the ground and away from them.

(Ardeth's eyes)

My anger swelled to new heights. I started fighting Lock-Nah as ferociously as I could before a small dagger landed in Lock-Nah's abdomen I slashed his throat my enemy was dead before he hit the ground. I rushed over to Raissa who was trying to rid her head of the dizziness I quickly got her to her feet.

"We have to get to the others." Raissa said I nodded and we ran off following the sound of O'Connell's yelling and Evelyn's delighted screams. The other tribe leaders could handle the Army of Anubis I felt compelled to keep Raissa safe. We saw that the family was back together but Alex was trying to get them to listen.

"Come on, mom! Come on, dad! We have to get to the pyramid! I have to get the bracelet off now!" Alex said pulling on their arms.

"Oh, leave it on, Alex. Looks good on you," Jonathan commented.

"No, you guys! You don't understand! He told me the bracelet will kill me if I don't get inside the pyramid before the sun hits it! TODAY!" Alex explained breathlessly.

"Oh my God." Evelyn said she was staring at him. It was already almost dawn. Raissa and O'Connell grabbed Alex and ran off with the rest of us following close behind. After running across a crevice with a tree over it O'Connell threw a stick of dynamite making it explode.

"Rick." Evelyn said we turned to see the sun beginning to rise.

"Come on Alex." O'Connell said grabbing his hand and running again but Alex was very tired.

"Dad the bracelet." Alex said O'Connell picked him up and ran the rest of the way landing in the temple just as the sun hit it. Raissa, who was beside me again, saw Alex throw the bracelet before sighing in relief.

"They made it. Thank god." Evelyn said Jonathan mumbled something as he looked at the pyramid while I looked at the scene between O'Connell and Alex before I felt myself being thrown backwards with Jonathan following me when I sat up I saw Raissa being stabbed by Imhotep before he walked off wrenching the knife from just under her heart. I rushed to her side as O'Connell rushed to Evelyn who had been stabbed in the abdomen by Anck-su-namun.

"_Raissa please forgive me I could not keep my promise._" I said as I tried to stop the bleeding knowing it was pointless. Raissa placed a hand on my cheek wiping a stray tear away as she felt her strength leave her body. I hated seeing her weak but I would not leave her.

"_Desert Prince there is nothing to forgive I lo-._" Her sentence was never finished before her eyes closed and her hand fell to the ground I held her body close to me as silent tears streamed down my cheeks I had lost her.

(Rick's eyes)

I had just lost Evie now I had to lose my sister too this was just fueling my anger I hugged Alex before going over to Ardeth.

"I'm not done fighting." I said placing a hand on my friend's shoulder Ardeth nodded knowing my meaning laying Raissa gently on the ground he stood before Alex saw his aunt and new tears started. Ardeth and I entered the pyramid both wanted vengeance for our loved ones' deaths and we were going to get it.

"You are too late O'Connell I have raised the Army of Anubis soon Lord Imhotep will kill the Scorpion King and take command." Mr. Hafez said as he struggled to pull his hand out of the wall it was trapped in.

"Not after we get through with him." We said before we heard a tearing sound. Quickly turning we saw Mr. Hafez pulling the bone of what was once his hand out of the wall before going out of the room.

"Here this was Raissa's use it well." Ardeth said handing me my sister's blade I nodded as we walked into the room carefully sneaking by Meela and into the chamber that held the Scorpion King and Imhotep.

Chapter Nineteen

(Raissa's eyes)

What happened next was strange. I felt as if I was floating in some random place but then when I studied it carefully, I realized that it looked like a palace. Evie was standing next to me the clothes we wore didn't have a drop of blood on them then we saw two beautiful women in front of us.

"_**Serket, Nefertiti.**_" I said they turned and it looked as if we were staring into mirrors they looked so much like us.

"_**Raissa I am sorry this happened Imhotep hated me not you.**_" Serket said hugging me I hugged her back.

"_**Do not be I am you I should have known this would happen.**_" I said pulling away from her I saw that Nefertiti was apologizing for the same thing.

"I hope the others are alright I'm worried." Evie said before we saw the pool Ardeth and Rick battling Imhotep and the Scorpion King. Then suddenly the water split and we saw Alex and Jonathan outside the temple.

"Think of it this way Alex they've gone to a better place like it says in the good book." Jonathan said Alex perked up at that word.

"Book? That's it. That's it uncle Jon come on that's it. Can you carry both Mum and Aunt Raissa?" Alex asked Jonathan had Evie look as if she was standing up but I was balanced in the crook of his other arm.

"_**They plan to use the Book of the Dead to bring you both back.**_" Nefertiti said gazing down at them.

"_**Is that such a good idea?**_" Evie asked while I smiled.

"_**I think their idea is a clever one.**_" Serket and I said smiling at each other.

"_**You two might need to change clothes those are not going to help you.**_" Serket said as she brought out two white dresses. The bottom of the gowns had color considering they were sleeveless the green one went to Evie while the gold one went to me. We quickly changed with Serket and Nefertiti putting on a minimal amount of jewelry. We then continued to stare down at our family. Evie kept her eyes on Jonathan and Alex while I watched Ardeth and Rick. They seemed to be a match for their opponents Rick and Imhotep were equal but the Scorpion King had an advantage over Ardeth, who was currently flying through the air before landing on the ground unconscious I covered my mouth to quiet a sob when I saw that his neck was bleeding freely. Serket wrapped me in a warm embrace trying to calm me down. I did calm down when I saw Ardeth get up again he still looked like a warrior, **my warrior**.

"You know this can only be done by someone who can actually read Ancient Egyptian I don't know about you but I'm a tad rusty." Jonathan said as Alex led the way before they came to a hallway with two directions.

"Now which way?" Jonathan asked looking in both directions.

"We go right." Alex stated and started to walk that way before Jonathan stopped him.

"How do you know?" Alex looked back at the hieroglyphics in front of him.

"_**Kasheesh osiris niy.**_ Basically 'This way to the scorpion king' Mum taught me." He said looking at her sadly before going off to the right.

"This just might work," Jonathan said following his nephew before they saw Meela Jonathan laid our bodies on a stone slab a little ways away from Meela before confronting her.

"It's time someone taught you a lesson wench, come on." Jonathan said motioning with his hand Meela rolled her eyes and stalked off towards him while Alex grabbed the book and went over to us.

"_**They are calling for you had better go unless you want to stay.**_" Nefertiti said Evie and I looked at each other.

"_**No thank you Evie has a family to return to while I have a man who made me a promise I plan to keep my end of it. Plus I also have something to tell him.**_" I said before they faded from sight. Jonathan was fighting with Meela the best he could but it was getting more and more difficult. She had him pinned against a stone pillar about to run a dagger into him but two hands stopped the knife.

"Why don't you pick on somebody your own size." Evie and I said forcing her hand away while Jonathan gasped for air. The clothes Serket and Nefertiti gave us had reappeared on us making the two of us look as if we were goddesses.

"Oh my god Evie." He said as Evie pushed her brother away.

"Take Alex go and help Rick." She said before looking at me I nodded in agreement.

"But-but-but Mom." Alex said as Jonathan pulled him into the other chamber.

"No buts Alex we'll be just fine." I said going into a fighting stance.

"_**Nefertiti, Serket?**_" Meela asked looking at me and Evie we twirled the Sai daggers we had gotten.

"_**Anck-su-namun.**_" We replied.

"_**Tiuh.**_" She said before the three of us began the battle. I was the first to strike successfully hitting Meela in her arm before Evie struck next. It went on like this for some time before a roar echoed throughout the two chambers Meela pushed us off before running in with us close behind her. Rick and Ardeth were synchronized in fighting as they battled against the Scorpion King Rick ducked as Ardeth jumped the giant tail both narrowly avoiding the sting of it.

"Ardeth!" I cried out when he was thrown against a wall he looked startled at the sight of me but nodded and continued the fight I had to smile.

"Jonathan throw it, kill the Scorpion King, send his army back to the underworld." Evie said as Meela hit my neck and pushed Evie against a wall, Jonathan threw it cleanly but Imhotep caught it before it met its mark. I ran and pushed him to the floor before catching the spear he had tossed in the air and tossing it to Ardeth who caught it and with Rick's help stabbed the heart of the scorpion king. Dust covered everyone Evie and I managed to make it back into the doorway, Jonathan and Alex hid behind a pillar but no one saw Rick, Ardeth and Imhotep until three sets of hands came from the crevice in the middle of the room and the three fought the souls of the underworld to try and escape. Rocks then began to fall from the roof Evie and I watched the ceiling before looking at the men we loved.

"Just get out of here!" Rick and Ardeth said but I rushed onto the floor Evie following close behind dodging the falling rock before we threw ourselves toward the edge, grabbing their wrists and pulling Ardeth and Rick out of the crevice and over to a nearby wall. Imhotep yelled for Anck-su-namun to help him but she ran from him, giving us an apologetic look he let go and fell back into the underworld. We quickly ran from the pyramid and out onto the steps.

"Whoa!" Rick said pulling me back as a pygmy flew by us.

"Alright this entire place is going to get sucked up let's move up!" Rick said we did but it didn't help much.

"Rick we're trapped." Evie said as they moved Alex between them, Jonathan had a hold of Evie's hand while Ardeth and I held each other close trying to see a way out one finally showed up.

"OI!" A familiar voice said we turned to see Izzy and the dirigible.

"Izzy!" Rick said gratefully I smiled.

"Come on come on get your butts moving. I haven't got all day!" He said frantically waving his arms everyone was soon on board except Rick and Jonathan both quickly climbed but Jonathan being the klutz that he is fell back his foot getting tangled in the rope.

"Jonathan! Hold on!" Rick called to him.

"Pull him up! Pull him up!" Izzy ordered.

"Pull me up! Pull me up!" Jonathan screamed. Then he noticed the gold on top of the pyramid, and changed his mind. "Wait, wait! Let me down! Let me down!" He yelled.

"It's not worth your life, you idiot!" Rick and I yelled at him Evie and Alex were watching helplessly.

"Yes it is! Yes it is!" Jonathan called back. He grabbed the huge gold diamond.

"PULL ME UP! PULL ME UP!" He screamed as the dirigible flew out of the way just as the pyramid sucked the last of the oasis in and buried beneath the sand forever. Rick and Jonathan crashed onto the deck, panting. Izzy started to yell with triumph.

"Okay...okay," Rick gasped.

"Yeah!" Izzy added. "O'Connell, you almost got me killed?"

"At least you did not get shot," I remarked while Rick smirked and shrugged. Izzy didn't say anything. He was lost for words.

"Izzy!" Evie exclaimed, running up to him, "Thank you! Thank you!" She smothered his face with kisses. Jonathan started hugging his diamond.

"O'Connell, who the heck have you been messing around with this time, huh?" Izzy asked obviously in a better mood.

"Oh, you know the usual. Mummies...pygmies...big bugs." Rick replied.

"Uh, that's half mine, you know," Izzy said to Jonathan.

"What?" Jonathan asked obviously trying to ignore Izzy.

"That's half mine." Izzy repeated he was certainly persistent.

"I have no idea what you're talking about," Jonathan replied.

"What! You took my gold stick! I know you took my gold stick!" Izzy said Ardeth and I were laughing at the argument.

"I have no idea...I swear on the head of my wife I have no idea what you're talking about!" Jonathan argued. I rolled my eyes.

"You haven't...you ain't got a wife!" Izzy yelled.

"I don't have your gold stick either!" Jonathan retorted. I heard Ardeth was trying to stop laughing at the two who continued to argue. Rick and Evie were kissing again although this time I couldn't complain.

"Aunt Raissa can you promise me something?" Alex groaned as he and I sat down a little bit away from the group who was laughing and enjoying themselves Jonathan soon joined us.

"What might that be?" I asked pulling him close he smiled and looked up at me.

"If you ever get married don't act like mum and dad." I couldn't help but laugh at his request Jonathan did the same and Alex did as well knowing full well I was not my brother.

"I think I can manage that." I said the adrenaline running through my veins was finally wearing down but Rick pulled me into a very tight hug.

"Rick I need to breathe." I whispered he let go I grinned before looking at Evie who was smiling at me.

"I did not know you could fight that well." I told her when the men were busy helping Izzy and Jonathan stop the argument before it got out of control and punches started to be thrown.

"I could say the same about you but you have two new friends that could have helped you. Why did you not let them?" She asked I grinned cheekily.

"Anck-su-namun ruined both our past lives I did not want to kill her so easily it would have given her and Imhotep a chance to see each other again." I said making her laugh in agreement I looked over at Rick and Alex who were trying to stop the argument between Izzy and Jonathan Ardeth had given up considering it was over treasure something he did not care about. My eyes then met with Ardeth's he smiled in agreement we were finally free of the high priest forever.

Chapter Twenty

(Ardeth's eyes)

I knew she understood the snake suddenly appeared in her hand I had to laugh as it stared at me as though I would harm her.

"_**Saranac you are awfully quiet. What is wrong?**_" Raissa asked when I sat across from her I noticed that was the only way I would be able to talk to her without the snake trying to strike.

"_**Nothing Serket merely wondering when I am to get home.**_" I said before the snake disappeared I pulled her close glad to see she was alright before I heard O'Connell calling her I mentally cursed his timing.

"Rick what do you want now?" She asked tiredly he motioned and she quickly went over to him. I managed to get my thoughts in order for I wanted her to stay with me and never let her be hurt again but that was impossible since the choice was not mine to begin with.

"**Ardeth we are here.**" Raissa said I looked over the railing to see the camp a few miles away.

"Raissa why not go with him you're obviously happier here." I heard Evelyn say my heart jolted at the thought.

"Yeah Aunt Raissa we can take care of ourselves go on." I hid a laugh hearing young Alexander was a little humorous.

"Raissa go on I can't stand to see my little sister unhappy for the rest of her life." O'Connell said I continued to look at the camp before seeing her at my side.

"**You do not have to go with me you know.**" I said she looked at me and smiled I returned it.

"**I know but the thought of spending the rest of my life away from you is something that I do not want.**" She said I smiled as I pulled her close she returned the smile before hugging me tightly I did the same glad to have her back in my arms again.

"**I cannot wait any longer to get home.**" I said as the camp grew closer Raissa smiled mischievously.

"**Neither can I but I am not going to wait any longer.**" She said climbing onto the railing and flipping off I watched her as she landed on the ground waving up at us. I laughed at her antics as she walked with ease up to the camp.

"_Adair I did not expect to see you here my friend._" She said making me wonder when they met for the last time Adair had seen Raissa she had been asleep.

"_Raissa I live here now. But what are you doing here?_" He asked as he led her into the camp and I got off the dirigible.

"_I live here now as well._" Raissa said as they walked deep into the camp I lost them in the crowd.

(Raissa's eyes)

"_So are you still in love with Ardeth?_" Adair whispered making me blush until I felt my cheeks burn.

"_Adair must you always be so forward with questions?_" I asked embarrassingly he laughed.

"_Well that would be a yes and it would also explain why you are staying here._" I clamped my hand over his mouth managing to make him be quiet.

"Now please be quiet." I hissed he nodded and I moved my hand away before the two of us began laughing.

"He told you of your past I see." Adair said as he looked at the bands on my arms I nodded before becoming lost in thought. I really was in love with Ardeth but was that the only reason I was staying? Was I letting my heart decide for me and not let me choose between something else? Bumping into something made me snap from my thoughts and see a friendly face.

"Well I did not expect to see you here Raissa." Ankara said smiling down at me while I rubbed the bruise that was now forming on my forehead.

"How do I keep bumping into old friends?" I moaned as they pulled me into a tight hug which I happily returned before letting them go.

"Raissa I think you need some different clothes those are covered with mud." Ankara said placing an arm around my shoulders as Adair wrapped his own arm around my waist. I was grateful for I felt so tired and they must have known.

"_Ankara is this your friend that you always speak of?_" A woman asked once we stopped I would have smirked but my concentration was on my eyes which were trying to close.

"_Yes and she needs some new clothes these are a bit stained._" he said making me give a weak laugh as the woman grabbed my hand and led me inside.

"_Well come along Raissa and let us see if we have something in your size._" She said pulling me into the tent I shot a glare at the two men who snickered before walking off.

Chapter Twenty-One

(Adair's eyes)

"You do realize when she finds us we will get it." I said to my friend of many years he managed to not laugh out loud.

"I know but knowing my sister she will tell us that Raissa is a good friend to both of us." He said before I caught a glimpse of Ardeth leaving the Elders' tent and he did not looked pleased.

"**I take it the Elders' want her to leave.**" I said knowing the Elders' could not understand Hebrew at all.

"**No they want her to prove she is worthy to stay here. By the way where is she?**" He asked looking around I told him of what we had done and he laughed at us.

"**Well I do not approve of your attempts but it will keep her distracted for a few minutes.**" Ardeth said making us all chuckle and wonder what Raissa would do to us when she learned of our real reason for it.

"_Ardeth I was just about to go and find you or my troublesome brother. Raissa is asleep and the Elders' have been watching her for an hour._" I had to wince at Kamala's, Ankara's sister, sentence. We went in to see Raissa had woken up and she was talking with the Elders' about several plans.

"_If you send all the men from every camp out into a war each tribe will remain defenseless. Keep half the men at home and send half out into battle the war will still be fought and the tribes will be protected as well._" She said obviously feeling better for she turned to us with a smile.

"Feeling better I hope?" Ankara said teasingly she nodded I noticed the Elders' were sitting there stunned.

"Raissa you are forgetting something." Ardeth said she turned back to see her arm bands lying on the bed. She quickly retrieved them and moved them back up her arms before walking out.

"**It seems we now share something other then being annoyed by my family.**" I heard her say before hearing Ardeth laugh.

"**By the way I have to accompany your family back to Cairo care to join me?**" Ardeth asked I had to smile Ardeth loved having her here even if he would not show it.

(Raissa's eyes)

I still felt tired but I was not going to let Ardeth see that. It would just worry him and I did not need for that to happen.

"**Raissa are you alright? And do not try and lie to me.**" Ardeth whispered when several people were near us.

"**Merely tired but I do not know why.**" I said unconsciously using the language he and I shared. I felt his arm go around my waist I leaned against him he tightened his grip making sure I did not collapse.

"**Just rest Raissa we will be fine.**" His voice seemed distant as he helped me lie down I felt his hand over mine before darkness pulled me from him again. When I awoke I saw that I was in a tent and I did not need anyone to tell me whose tent: It was Ardeth's.

"Ah Raissa you are awake good Ardeth and everyone else are waiting to see you." Ankara said I nodded and followed him outside to see everyone, including Ardeth and my family, talking and having a good time.

"**Well Raissa are you feeling better?**" Ardeth asked when I was near him I nodded before joining in his laughter. The Elders', I saw, were motioning for me to dance I smiled for dancing was a secret passion of mine I signed to Evie and Kamala to join me they readily agreed. Music began to play and my body swayed to the beat and soon I was moving along with it my body performing the dance all on its' own letting people look at me. Evie and I danced around each other before Kamala joined in the fun. We were lost in the rhythm our hearts pounding and our breath lost as the music ended and we sat back down away from the campfire a bit so we could talk. I snuck a look at Ardeth's face and then Rick's they were shocked I could not help but laugh.

"Did you see their faces? I cannot believe we managed to make them look like that." Evie said as we laughed at them.

"Evie I thought you and the rest of them were going to Cairo what changed?" I asked standing trying to stretch and also trying not to start dancing again.

"Rick wanted to say good-bye to you but now he may not have the strength to move after what we just did." She said looking back at my brother making us all laugh again.

"Well you two may not want to but I am hoping to dance again." Kamala said moving further away we followed glad to have someone wanting to dance.

"Right here is just fine. And the good thing is we do not need music." I said thinking of the songs I had heard over the years before one seemed to swim to the surface of my mind. I began moving to it and the others recognized my moves and followed suit soon the rest of the world was forgotten as we danced to our heart's content.

(Ardeth's eyes)

I had to smile as I found Raissa lying in the sand asleep a few hours later. Ankara shook his head before lifting his sister into his arms and carrying her back to her tent, O'Connell carried Evelyn back to their group while I carried Raissa walking slower then the other two for she stirred a bit.

"**Ardeth I can walk. I am just a bit tired.**" She said sleepily.

"**I do not think so Desert Rose. You can barely form a sentence I am not going to take the chance.**" I said using some of the translation of her name as she had for me.

"**Do the others know I am sharing your tent yet?**" She whispered I could tell she was not going to be awake much longer I managed to get her to our tent without anyone from her family seeing us.

"**No now just rest you and I will tell them in the morning.**" I said as her eyes closed I laid her in her bed before getting into my own and letting sleep take me.

(Raissa's eyes)

The sun shined brightly as the morning came I sat up enjoying the fresh air and beautiful morning. I quickly got dressed in the white robes Kamala had given me before I saw that Ardeth was still asleep. I peeked outside to see half of the camp awake including the Elders' I sighed and gently shook him.

"**Ardeth wake up it is morning.**" I said softly he groaned and tried to hide his eyes I laughed and shook him again. He moaned but did look at me.

"**Get up it is morning and half the camp is already awake.**" I said he shook his head but did get up and get dressed.

"**I am certainly glad you woke me. I have to meet with the Elders' this morning.**" he said as we walked the camp I gave a sorry look he waved it off.

"**Do not be sorry Ankara would have woken me but at least when you do it I am not laying on the floor afterwards.**" Ardeth said amusingly I could not help but laugh he joined it.

"**Go meet with the Elders' I will go find Rick and the others if they are awake.**" I said he nodded and we parted.

(Ardeth's eyes)

I watched Raissa walk off I could not help but smile she was a beautiful sight I felt overjoyed to have her here I looked at her one last time before going into the Elders' tent.

"_Ardeth we need you to travel to the fifth tribe they have not given their response and the question was sent two weeks ago._" A tribal elder said I nodded and left the tent Raissa was calmly walking up to me but I could tell she also bore bad news.

"**Jonathan is ill. Adair and Kamala have taken him and the others to Cairo Rick said they would be heading home from there. What is wrong?**" She asked when she noticed I was bearing news as well.

"**The fifth tribe has not responded to the question we sent them. They want me to travel there and see what has happened.**" I said as we walked back to our tent. I quickly grabbed my weapons and was about to leave the tent when Raissa pulled me back and slipped a dagger in my hand and a sword in my belt. I stared at it for it was the one I had accidentally put into her arm all those years ago in Hamunaptra and the sword was the one she had shot out of my hand.

"**Be careful Ardeth.**" She said I held her before staring at her.

Chapter Twenty-Two

(Raissa's eyes)

I turned my head from Ardeth's eyes but he gently placed a hand on my cheek making me look at him before kissing me gently I returned it glad for the kiss he deepened it I did as well we parted to breathe I nodded and kissed his cheek he left the tent and the camp. Days passed which soon turned into weeks making me nervous I went to the Elders'.

"_Ardeth has been gone for almost three weeks. Could I send a few of the men to look for him, please?_" I asked they nodded I left and gathered Ankara and a few other good warriors and sent them on the search. Another two weeks passed before a message came to the camp I quickly took it and read it.

We found him. Will bring him by the next sunrise. Be prepared he is badly wounded. Raiders.

I could not breathe my heart stopped beating. Ardeth had been wounded by raiders tears stung my eyes as I searched the crowd of faces before seeing that Adair was here.

"**Adair be prepared Ardeth was on a journey to the fifth tribe and was wounded on the way back.**" I said before the sound of horses approaching caught my attention I looked long enough to see Ankara before Adair pulled me into his tent.

"**Raissa when they bring him here I will need your help.**" He said I nodded as I watched the tent being opened and Ankara and another man brought Ardeth in and gently laid him on the bed they left leaving him in our hands.

"**Adair tell me he will be alright.**" I said choking a sob back he continued to wipe the blood off of Ardeth. Adair had taken the cloth from my hand when I had started shaking terribly.

"**Raissa I think you need to go join your brother just for awhile.**" he said I started sobbing my heart was breaking.

(Rick's eyes)

"Rick, Raissa's coming to visit!" Evie exclaimed sadly a week later when I walked in the room I was puzzled we had just now returned to London why was Raissa visiting so soon?

"What happened Raissa just doesn't visit to make you feel sad." I said wrapping my arms around her feeling her shake.

"Ardeth was hurt a couple of days ago and Raissa can't stand seeing him so lifeless the elders think its best for her to stay with us until he's better." Evie said looking at me as I read the message. I opened the doors when I heard the knock and pulled her close as she started sobbing again glad to see me. Evie was close to tears herself for Ardeth was like family so nearly everyone was worried about him including me. (But none of you can tell Evie that!)

"Aunt Raissa are you alright?" Alex asked when he saw her she immediately scooped the child up crying into his shoulder glad to have a loving family to help her Alex wrapped his arms around her neck letting her cry until she felt ready to collapse from sheer exhaustion. Evie saw this and alerted me I carried my sister to a spare bedroom before laying her on the bed letting her sleep. The next day was no improvement for she barely left her room making me resort to threats but nothing worked.

(Raissa's eyes)

The third day I was there Alex managed to get me to walk around in the garden a bit but I fell to my knees crying for my mind was still on Ardeth and seeing the rose reminded me of what he called me.

"Raissa come inside." Evie said when I didn't return to house by noon.

"Evie I can't lose Ardeth now he's-" I broke down in tears again the image of Ardeth with blood on him flashed behind my eyelids making me sob even harder.

(Evelyn's eyes)

It made me sick to see my sister-in-law do something she almost never did: cry. After a bit of thinking and arguing in Rick's case I drove her to the museum and let her help me with some of the work which seemed to help both of us. So we did this for weeks until one day put us in the greatest of moods we were at home when it occurred.

"Evelyn." A man's voice said I looked up from the book I had been reading to see Ardeth standing in front of me I smiled before hugging him tightly.

"Should I tell Raissa or do you want to do that?" I asked teasingly he chuckled.

"Where is Raissa?" Ardeth asked I inwardly winced but did tell him.

(Ardeth's eyes)

"Probably in her room. Hopefully she isn't crying." She said this part to herself but I heard it nonetheless I could not help but feel a bit ill for I somehow knew that she had been crying over me.

"_**Ardeth be careful seeing you might be a bit much.**_" Evelyn said as we stopped outside a door I nodded and she left. I gently turned the knob and walked silently into the room. There lay Raissa she was a ghostly shade of pale and looked as if she did not have any strength.

"**Raissa wake up.**" I whispered gently shaking her she moaned but did not move. I heard someone enter the room I looked to see Evelyn and O'Connell in the doorway.

"Maybe I can try." Evelyn said I moved and let her Raissa did wake but Evelyn and O'Connell made her get up and keep her eyes closed.

"Raissa close your eyes there's someone here to see you." Evelyn whispered she turned her to face me but Raissa sighed.

"Please Evie is this just another game?" Raissa asked she sounded broken but did not open her eyes.

"No this isn't another game someone really is here to see you now open them." O'Connell said she did and gasped I can honestly say those blue eyes were a sight to see.

(Raissa's eyes)

I couldn't believe it. My breath was lost as I stared at that familiar face.

"Ardeth." I whispered before I saw that we were the only two in the room he moved closer and I froze for I thought he would vanish until his hand rested against my cheek. I leaned into his touch as tears streamed down my cheeks.

"It really is you." I whispered as he pulled me close I shakily wrapped my arms around him and started sobbing. He tightened his hold I couldn't stop my tears no matter how much I tried I had him back.

(Ardeth's eyes)

"**Oh my beautiful Desert Rose.**" I whispered making her sobs stop all together. I pulled away long enough to see her face now had streams of tears dripping down I wiped them away before hugging her again.

"**I thought I had lost you.**" She whispered I pulled away again making her look at me.

"**Not in this lifetime. It is alright now I promise.**" I said helping her sit back down.

"What happened?" She asked I knew she wanted to know how I was wounded so I began my tale of how I had gotten to the fifth tribe but had found out that an old friend had gone mad with power and wanted something sacred. I had dueled with him which was how I was wounded but had defeated him in the end.

"Should I start worrying about your choice in friends?" Raissa said teasingly I laughed before seeing how pale she was.

"Are you alright?" I asked she nodded but the way she was shaking told me something different. I wrapped an arm around her shoulders and placed a hand on her forehead quickly pulling it back.

"**You have a fever. Why did you not tell me?**" I asked as she lay against me.

"**I just wanted to know you were alright.**" She whispered I held her close to me before hearing someone enter the room I looked to see Evelyn and Jonathan standing in the doorway.

"Well it looks as if her feelings caught up with her." Evelyn said I thought she had been talking to me but Jonathan began speaking with her. I lifted Raissa into my arms and moved letting them pull the blankets down on the bed.

"Evie did you expect anything less she had been worried about him for quite awhile. Now let's leave knowing Rick if he can't find you he'll start to worry." Jonathan said pulling her out of the room I laid Raissa back on the bed before hearing them again.

"Honestly ever since Ahm-Shere you two act as though I am glass I am not going anywhere." Evelyn said I quickly shut the door before they woke her before she groaned. I sat on the edge of the bed placing hand near her cheek to feel her fever had increased a bit.

"Alex, Raissa is a little sick alright. She'll be okay." I heard O'Connell tell his son before a soft knock at the door got my attention I heard it open I moved towards the window as though I had not heard it.

"Hi Aunt Raissa." I heard young Alex say before I saw him out of the corner of my eye crawl up next to Raissa and hug her. "Ardeth and I are here you'll be alright now." Sobs shook the boy I walked over and moved him so he was looking at me.

"You are right Alex. We are here and she will be alright I can promise that." I said as he buried himself nearer towards me I tightened my hold and allowed him to cry himself to sleep. I laid him near Raissa and sat near the two of them before I welcomed the sleep as well.

Chapter Twenty-Three

(Evelyn's eyes)

I quietly checked in on Ardeth and Raissa and had to smile as I saw that both were asleep and Alex was as well holding Raissa's hand tightly she had somehow grabbed his just as well.

"Evelyn is everything alright?" Ardeth asked as he stretched and stood I nodded and shut the door quietly considering we were the only two awake at the moment.

"How is she?" I asked when he checked on Raissa again.

"Her fever is lower but that does not stop your son from worrying." Ardeth said pulling the blankets over the two of them.

"Ardeth are you alright?" I asked when I saw that he was always staring out the window and constantly looked back at Raissa. He sighed but I held out my hand letting him know I understood. A cough from Raissa shook even me for I had not seen her sick at all since she had stayed I gently pulled Alex away while Ardeth helped her sit up but she laid against him and stayed that way until she closed her eyes and her breathing slowed letting us know she had fallen asleep again. Ardeth covered his mouth and stifled a laugh I was shocked that he could be laughing after Raissa getting sick but then I heard it. Not any laughter it was coughing he was sick too.

"Ardeth when were planning on telling anyone that you were sick as well?" I asked teasingly he shot a mock glare but a cough ruined it.

"I am fine Evelyn do not worry." He said I took Alex out of the room and smiled at him for he had woken up a while ago.

"Mum how long before Aunt Raissa finds out Ardeth is sick?" He asked before we heard someone talking inside I opened the door a bit and we listened and watched.

"Ardeth you are a terrible liar. Now just lie down." Raissa said she was obviously feeling better but Ardeth still had enough strength to argue.

"Raissa I am fine it is nothing." He said before coughs racked his body causing him to stumble and she catch him.

"Nothing, really? Now just lie still please?" She asked as she forced him to lie down he glared at her before she blew out the candle that had been lit. He softly let out a sigh and Raissa giggled.

"Just rest Ardeth it will be fine." She said I shut the door and Alex and I went to our rooms I tried to sleep but couldn't having Ardeth sick was a surprise considering he always seemed as if he never had been sick in his life.

"Evie could you come here please?" Raissa whispered I stood and went back to her room to see Ardeth lying on the bed shaking and coughing at times.

"_**He's worse off then you. How did that happen?**_" I asked as she gently placed a hand on his cheek and shook her head she didn't know.

"_**I don't know but his fever is higher.**_" She whispered before disappearing she came back with a bowl of water and two cloths after a long night his fever broke and the coughs subsided. The next morning was a bit worse I had a headache and Raissa had developed one as well plus we had not gotten any sleep at all.

"Mum are you alright?" Alex asked when I moved slower then normal.

"She is fine Alex just a little tired she and I kept having nightmares." Raissa said I smiled at her she returned it before covering a yawn which I had to do as well. Rick eyed me warily then did the same with Raissa before returning to the conversation he was having with Ardeth.

(Ardeth's eyes)

"What is wrong with them?" O'Connell whispered to himself I did not want to but I answered.

"I am afraid that is my fault I was sick that night and they had gotten no sleep because of it." I said sadly he placed a hand on my shoulder making me look at him.

"It wasn't your fault being sick is not an excuse." He said I smiled and he returned it before going over to Evelyn who leaned up against him as he helped her up the stairs Raissa was holding her head in her hands and Alex was sitting near her making her laugh. It made me smile at them Raissa was still stubborn.

(Raissa's eyes)

"Alex can you go play with your uncle for little while I do not want you to get sick." I said he smiled and nodded and went to find Jonathan I groaned and placed a hand on my head before I felt someone's hand on my shoulder I turned to see Ardeth standing over me.

"**I see someone is feeling better.**" I said as he sat down he chuckled before seriously looking at me.

"**You seem better as well although you are still pale.**" Ardeth said placing his hands on my cheeks I smiled before shaking my head making him laugh.

"**I am anxious to return home it seems a terrible long time we have been away.**" I said he nodded as I began to picture the camp I had grown to love and the people that had became friends.

"**Raissa!**" I jumped when Ardeth's voice cut through the dream. I glared at him then I heard a quiet giggling I smiled before getting up and looking under the table but nothing was there. Ardeth smiled and joined in the game we looked for several minutes before we found that the giggling was coming from a closet I quietly turned the knob and flung the door open to see Alex I scooped him up and tickled him until he was breathless. Ardeth laughed as he carried the child up to his room and laid him on the bed to let him sleep.

"Do you really have to leave?" Alex asked the next morning we smiled.

"Yes unfortunately but we cannot stop you from visiting." I said before we were off. After hours of riding and being impatient we were back in Egypt I could not help but inhale deeply Ardeth did the same we were finally back where we belonged.

"Raissa." Ardeth said I saw that he was standing on top of a rather large sand dune I rushed to the top and stood next to him loving the landscape before I felt the sand shift beneath my feet I was soon rolling with Ardeth following me I landed in a giggling heap at the bottom Ardeth landed next to me also laughing as well. I then heard someone else was as well I looked around to see Ankara and Adair laughing at the two of us.

"**What are you doing here?**" Ardeth asked as he stood I did the same they smiled.

"**We came to find you two.**"Ankara said getting off his horse and hugging me before clapping Ardeth on the back Adair mimicked him before we heard several horses galloping toward us.

"Ardeth all of you start walking to Cairo now." I whispered quickly he nodded and grabbed my hand in his the sand shifted beneath my feet letting me know that whoever was riding had just stopped a few feet from us.

"**What is it?**"Adair asked quietly as he and Ankara kept the horses near them just in case.

"**Hazem was Loch-Nah's second-in-command he found us when he followed you.**" Ardeth whispered knowing Hazem didn't speak Hebrew I suddenly heard something being thrown I reached and grabbed Ankara's hand and pulled him down while Ardeth did the same with Adair. I saw Hazem get off his horse and was obviously angry the rest of his men were off their horses and had their swords drawn ready for a battle.

"**Does danger always follow us?**" I asked tiredly the others grinned before bringing their own blades out I brought my own and one of my guns. The battle began granted four against what seemed to be twenty was not good odds especially when something went wrong. Ardeth had not seen the man behind him and soon had a sword at his throat.

"_Drop your weapons or he dies._" Hazem sneered I growled but did drop what weapons I had Ankara and Adair did the same none of us would let Ardeth get killed. Hazem seemed to be a bit downhearted as if he had suspected us to try something he did not know everything as we shared glances with each other and nodded. As soon as the blade was moved I moved the man that held me was on the ground in a matter of seconds Hazem turned obviously angry with himself before Adair and Ankara broke free of their holders as well.

"**Raissa watch out!**" I heard Adair yell before all went black. When it cleared I saw I was bound and gagged in a tent with the others sitting next to me the same way.

"**Raissa are you alright?**" Ardeth's voice was suddenly floating through my mind.

"**I am fine are any of you hurt?**" I thought as my eyes landed on their pale faces he shook his head.

"**We were more worried about you. Hazem wants to know where a jewel is he said it would grant him unthinkable power. Do you know what jewel he means?**" Ardeth thought I thought a moment before my eyes widened in recognition.

"**The Eye of Isis. It grants the holder anything they desire except for the death of someone else at least it is in our favor.**" I thought momentarily forgetting the link I shared. Hazem then entered the tent and saw that I was awake he sneered in disgust. A few more men came into the tent and looked at Ardeth and the others with the same look.

"**I do not like this.**" I thought roughly as I tried to untie the ropes that held my hands behind my back. Ardeth shot me a concerned glance Adair and Ankara did the same. Hazem came forward and pulled me to my feet taking the cloth off my mouth.

"_Where is the jewel?_" He hissed out I merely leaned my head back and brought crashing back against his own. He yelled in pain as he dropped me I landed next to Ardeth who was muffling a laugh.

"_Did you really think I would tell you?_" I said looking at Hazem like the idiot he was.

"_No but I was hoping you would make this difficult._" He said before kicking my stomach making double over while trying to catch my breath Hazem grinned when Ardeth let out a growl in anger and started to struggle against the ropes.

"**Ardeth stop that is what he wants. By hurting me he thinks you will tell him where the jewel is.**" I thought as I regained my breathing he stopped struggling and looked at me.

"**I am not going to let you die because of him.**" He thought Adair and Ankara were agreeing with him though neither could hear him.

"**Just do not let him see you get angry. If he notices we have lost.**" I thought before I received another kick this time it was near my throat but I moved at the last minute making him hit the table that was near the four of us.

"_You little witch you will pay for that._" Hazem said as he moved his now hurting leg away from us I laughed spitefully.

"_Not if it is by your hand._" I said before he dragged me away from them and threw me into another tent he grinned again before bringing out a knife. I hoped the others were alright.

Chapter Twenty-Four

(Ardeth's eyes)

My heart plummeted as I heard someone scream I prayed it wasn't Raissa. I looked back at Adair and Ankara each one now had several new wounds but neither had said anything I was grateful for it meant that they had to keep us alive. A fifth person entered the tent this person I recognized it was Emir we all stared at him before he nodded our signal if one of us was on a mission. I relaxed somewhat before the four men in front of us jerked and fell to the ground he rushed over and untied our hands.

"_How did you find us?_" Adair asked as we stood finally free of the ropes Emir smiled.

"_When Hazem took you he left your horses and they went in the direction where he took you when we untied them._" He said we chuckled before another scream was heard followed by a gunshot we rushed from the tent to see Hazem on the ground dead and O'Connell standing over him anger clear on his face.

"_What is her brother doing here?_" Ankara asked quietly I was wondering the same.

"_His family had been tricked to come here somehow they had heard about what had happened and wanted to help._" Emir said as Evelyn and Jonathan came and tried to pry the gun from his hand.

"Rick put it down." A voice said we turned to see Raissa looking at him weakly. He dropped his gun and hugged her she grimaced but did not pull away. I felt sick when I saw the wounds that scarred her and apparently the others shared my emotion.

"I'm sorry I'm so sorry." O'Connell kept saying as he held her she smiled before looking at him.

"For what? I am fine and so is everyone else except for a couple of scars." She said not mentioning her other injuries he chuckled making me realize she did not want him to know.

"**Not a word to him about those other injuries.**" She said to the three of us later we smiled and hugged her in turn she laughed each time we let her go and someone else hugged her. After making sure all of Hazem's men were dead I saw that Raissa was walking behind a tent I quickly followed her and saw she was on her knees holding her sides as she cried. I went over and made her look at me before holding her close letting her cry not that I wanted to.

"It hurts." She whispered making me hold her close but not as tightly as I had been I looked to see O'Connell standing before us with sadness in his eyes. He knelt next to us and pulled Raissa from me and held her I did not mind considering he knew how to help her.

"Why didn't you tell me?" He asked softly she looked up and wiped the tears away.

"You would have blamed yourself and I didn't want that. My brother did nothing wrong and neither did anyone else other then Hazem." She said with a gentle laugh making him chuckle.

"How did I get such a smart sister who can make anything go away?" He asked as he helped her stand she winced but smiled.

"I don't know how did I get such an annoying brother?" She returned he threw back his head and laughed I smiled at the siblings everything was fine for now.

"Rick where are all of you going?" Raissa asked he smiled.

"I have an old friend to visit in Cairo we'll be staying there." He said she smiled before laughing a little.

"What about you Raissa?" Evelyn asked the five of us shared a glance.

"We will be going home." I said smiling at Raissa's relieved expression.

"That sounds perfect." She said tiredly we laughed before Ankara groaned.

"**Perfect for all of you I will have Kamala worrying when she sees the scars.**" He said with a moan Raissa was giggling before it turned into a full laugh Emir and Adair were soon laughing and I was as well.

"**Ankara I think Ardeth will the one being worried over.**" Adair said making me groan in response Raissa just laughed.

"**The entire camp will worry over the four of us Emir will not be included in this.**" She said making Emir smile and us groan in annoyance. We parted ways and made it back to the camp. Just like Raissa said they immediately started with surprised exclamations before taking us to the healers' tent. Adair, Ankara and I had only a few scratches so we did not need that much taken care of but Raissa was different.

"**Ardeth she will be fine she has a few fractured ribs but other then that she is fine.**" Kamala said when she came I sighed in relief Adair and Ankara did the same. We told Emir what Kamala said and he did the same we had been worried.

"**You four worry too much.**" She said when she stepped in front of us we grinned before chuckling again.

"**Does trouble just follow all of you?**" Kamala asked echoing Raissa who laughed as we did before telling Kamala the reason why.

"**Kamala I am around four Medjai warriors trouble always follows them whether they want it to or not.**" Raissa said with a small grin Kamala shook her head before smiling and leading Raissa back to her tent.

(Raissa's eyes)

"**Raissa if I tell you something will you promise to keep it a secret?**" Kamala asked once we were inside her tent I smiled before showing her the mark.

"**A Medjai always keeps a promise now what is it?**" I asked knowing this was about a loved one.

"**You know Ardeth loves you and would die to keep you safe.**" She said I nodded knowing he had loved me but the second part was a bit of surprising news.

"**Kamala are you trying to say that you like someone?**" I asked she blushed and nodded I laughed and grinned taking her hands in mine.

"**But I am not sure Adair likes me.**" She said quietly thinking I wouldn't hear her I gasped in pleased shock.

"**Kamala, Adair does like you he told me so. But do not try to force yourself on him just try being friends first and then it will happen eventually.**" I said hoping I gave her some good advice she nodded and had a smile playing at her cheeks. I heard someone calling my name and looked out of the tent to see no one. I looked back to see Kamala was still smiling so I walked out of the tent and had someone wrapping their arms around my waist and twirling me in several dizzying circles.

"**Ardeth!**" I said with a giggle he chuckled but did let me down I saw the smile I had first brought on was now wider and definitely fit him.

"**How did you know it was me?**" He asked making it look as though he was actually innocent.

"**Only one person can make me laugh like that and that person is you.**" I said laughing before a yell made me turn to see The Elders' were motioning for Ardeth to join them.

"**Ardeth go and see what they want I am going to rest.**" I said he scowled but did walk over I quickly walked back to our tent and laid down wondering what The Elders' had wanted before sleep took me.

(Ardeth's eyes)

"**Ardeth I do not want to go on another mission but you are a friend and I will not see you hurt.**" Adair said Ankara agreed I had to smile at them.

"**Thank you my friends but we must leave tonight if we are going to accomplish it.**" I said they groaned good-naturedly and left to get ready. I went to my tent to see Raissa was already asleep not worrying I moved as quietly as possible before a groan made me turn. She was sitting up looking at me with a smile.

"**Another mission?**" She asked I nodded Raissa chuckled before getting up and handing me her own weapons I looked at her incredulously she just smiled.

"**You will need them besides I only gave you my guns. Now go on Adair and Ankara will be waiting.**" She said hiding a yawn I smiled before going to meet with them we were just halfway from the camp before I looked back to see Emir, Kamala and Raissa all smiling and making sure we were alright.

"**Good luck.**" I heard her think I smiled and went off glad to know she would always be there.

Chapter Twenty-Five

(Raissa's eyes)

It had been almost two weeks before Kamala came rushing into my tent with a smug smile on her face.

"**What are you smiling about?**" I asked good-naturedly hoping that Ardeth would be home soon it was lonely without him.

"**Adair, Ankara and Ardeth are back but all of them were wounded.**" She said I sighed before grumbling.

"**And I think know how that happened. I gave Ardeth my guns so it would help them and he probably did not use them.**" I said before going from the tent to see the three of them walking towards us. I gave a light scowl and crossed my arms over my chest Ardeth handed me my weapons and I checked each one. None of them had been fired. I gave Ardeth a hard stare which made him wince as he realized what I had been checking for.

"**Raissa before you say anything we realized we did not need them we needed to be quiet and a gunshot would have given us away.**" Adair said I sighed but smiled when I saw that he held Kamala's hand tightly.

"**How can I ever stay mad at you three?**" I asked they all laughed before moaning and gripping a side or an arm. I sighed again and gently pushed Ardeth and Ankara inside while Kamala did the same with Adair we shared a mischievous smile and a glitter of fun we were going to teach them to be more careful.

"**Will you please hold still?**" Kamala asked as Adair tried to get out of her grip as she reset the bone in his arm. Ardeth chuckled before I pressed against a bruise near his ribs making him hiss in pain I chuckled before bandaging it and wrapping his wrist up as carefully as I wanted to be. After we had finished and they were trying to rest we went outside and began giggling uncontrollably.

"**I never thought I would see three grown men scared of two women.**" I gasped out before holding my sides they were hurting from giggling so much Kamala was doing the same.

"**If what we just did does not teach them to be more careful I do not know what will.**" She said through tears we helped each other up and began helping the other healers laughing almost all the while.

(Ardeth's eyes)

I looked at Adair and Ankara who looked back shocked at what we had just heard.

"**And you wondered why I tried to stay still?**" I said as they began moving closer.

"**I did not think they would do that.**" Adair said before we heard several people screaming we rushed out to see several men in brown robes staring at us venomously.

"_You people harbor fugitives return them and we will let you live._" the leader said as Kamala and Raissa calmly walked up until they were a few feet from them.

"_And you are not welcome here leave and we will let you live._" Kamala said hatefully the men laughed before drawing out their weapons Raissa brought out a throwing dagger as did Kamala and threw them. The leader was dead before he hit the ground and half the men had been scratched from the way the knives were thrown. Kamala caught hers in her hand but Raissa back-flipped and caught it between her fingers it was a surprise to see these two fighting like this.

"_Like we said leave now._" Raissa said spitefully a growl almost coming from her throat they did not listen. Raissa and Kamala nodded and threw the daggers again but this time they threw two more after that each man fell to the ground a dagger in their hearts.

"**I hate when people do not listen it just brings them more trouble.**" Kamala said as she and Raissa went over and pulled out the daggers.

"**I know how you feel. I hate that we had to stain our knives with their blood.**" Raissa said as though it was a normal conversation Kamala laughed and nodded in agreement. They then turned and saw us making them giggle in turn.

"**When did you learn how to throw a knife?**" Ankara asked surprised that his sister was so calm with what she had done.

"**Raissa and I have been training when all of you go on missions I thought I had told you.**" She said with a puzzled look. Ankara would have yelled but the pain in his ribs had flared up again making them share a look before they walked off Adair and I helped him back to my tent where he sat down.

"_Raissa are you and Kamala sure they have more injuries?_" A voice said it took me sometime to place it before I realized it was Abdul one of the healers.

"_Abdul we saw them wince several times when we were finished and they were moving away from us everytime we tried probing for rib injuries._" Raissa said knowing he would agree he sighed and stepped into the tent I shook my head but he had made a choice. After a few more minutes of being fussed over Abdul stood up with a sad sigh and left the tent.

"_Raissa you were right. Adair has one fractured he will be able to stand in a few days, Ankara has two fractured and one broken it will be a couple of weeks before he will move._" He said Adair and Ankara noticed he had not said what was wrong with me they looked at me inquiringly.

"_And Ardeth?_" She asked with a heavy sigh in her voice.

"_His were most severe. Half of his ribs were broken the rest are fractured and his other arm is broken as well. He will not be happy for the next month._" He said I angrily sighed before I saw that Raissa had stepped into the tent her arms crossed and an angered glitter in her eye.

"**Adair, Ankara Kamala has two beds in her tent for you.**" She said they walked out with sympathetic looks aimed towards me she then turned back towards me and sighed.

(Raissa's eyes)

"**Tell me something Ardeth does telling me you have an injury hurt your pride that much?**" I asked he glared at me before storming out of the tent. I shook from worry but sobs tore from my throat when I saw the band lying on the ground. The next morning was even worse Ardeth had gone to the healers' tent and they said he would have to stay for his injuries were worse then before. I went to Kamala's tent to see Adair and Ankara were gone.

"**Raissa is everything alright?**" She asked I tried to nod but ended up crying instead I sat on the bed and tried to stop the tears finally succeeding.

"**Kamala I do not think Ardeth loves me as much as you say. I asked him if telling me about an injury hurt his pride that much he stormed out and has not said a word to me since.**" I said breaking down into sobs once more she wrapped a friendly arm around my shoulders until I stopped crying.

"**Raissa I will talk to him but you need to go the Elders' want to see you.**" She said I nodded and wiped my eyes hoping Kamala would help the situation.

(Kamala's eyes)

I quickly went to the healers' tent and saw Ardeth lying on a mat looking at each wound with disgust.

"**Hello Ardeth are you feeling better?**" I asked he nodded and tried to sit up but did not succeed.

"**Where is Raissa?**" He asked looking at the opening of the tent as if she would walk through it at any time.

"**With the Elders' why are you mad at her?**" I asked getting straight to the point of why I had come to see him.

"**I am not mad at her I am mad at myself. I cannot help her if I am wounded and what she said made me realize it.**" He said with a sad sigh I smiled at him.

"**Then tell her that. Ardeth she came to my tent crying this morning. She thought you were angry with her.**" I said he winced that was something that he had not wanted to hear. Adair and Ankara suddenly came into the tent each one pale.

"**Raissa was sent on a mission.**"Adair said Ardeth was shocked and tried to sit up again I immediately pushed him back down.

"**To where?**" He asked with a break in his voice I knew he was worried about her.

"**We do not know that was all the Elders' would tell us. Ardeth she will be fine once you are better we will talk to them again.**" Ankara said Ardeth sighed but nodded. Weeks went by and we heard nothing of Raissa, Ardeth was now fully recovered and waiting for her anxiously until an eagle flew towards him he took the message that was tied to it and paled at the words that were written.

"**Raiders have her.**" He said Adair went to tell the Elders' while Ankara and I went to get ready.

"**They have agreed to let the four of us go and get her.**" He said Ardeth quickly walked to his tent. I hoped we would get her back.

(Ardeth's eyes)

My temper was raging and threatening to take control but I quickly calmed down as much as I needed to not that it was going to do any good. Those raiders had Raissa and I had a good idea who the raiders were.

"**Ardeth we have to go.**" Kamala said softly I nodded and tried to keep my mind from wandering she quickly placed a hand on my shoulder.

"**She will be fine I know it.**" She said I quickly gathered my weapons and left the camp with my friends. We rode for hours before hearing men yelling at one another we stopped a few miles away and looked to see a camp with men in brown robes.

"_Is she talking?_" A man asked I knew he meant Raissa my hand went to the gun I carried Adair and Ankara followed my example.

"_Not now after what we did to her I was surprised she was able to kill three men._" Another one said Kamala angrily sighed before snatching a gun from her brother I held up my hand and waited till quite a few of them had gathered she looked and I nodded. Shots rang out and four men jerked and fell to the ground before four more followed soon only one was left: The leader of the men. I shot at his arm as Kamala threw a dagger at his stomach he fell to the ground she knelt next to him and took the knife out slowly as soon as it was out she drug it across both of his wrists. I nodded and we entered a tent to see nothing.

"**It will take hours to find her if we all search the same tent.**" Kamala said before we heard someone groan in the tent beside us we rushed in and my blood ran cold. Raissa lay before us scars and wounds were on her body letting blood pour, a chain was wrapped around her wrist keeping her there and she was barely conscious. Ankara knelt next to her and gently pulled the chain off her wrist while making sure she wasn't in any pain.

"**Ankara?**" She whispered out barely opening her eyes he nodded before she tried to move I saw that it hurt her more then anything and she had blood pooled beneath her.

"**Adair go and get the bandages you brought and the ones in my bag. We will need them.**" I heard Kamala whisper I sighed knowing she was trying to help but it did nothing to calm my nerves.

"**Ankara go check to see if the leader is dead. Ardeth when she looks at me I need you to get behind her and help me sit her up.**" She said Ankara left the tent and Kamala knelt next to Raissa who immediately looked at her I moved behind her and set her up.

"**Raissa they are gone.**" Kamala said and Raissa suddenly stared gasping in pain. I placed my hands on her shoulders telling her it was alright she leaned against me before her eyes closed again.

"**I never thought you could look like this.**" I thought knowing she probably could not hear me Kamala sighed and stifled a sob as she bandaged what wounds she could before Raissa hissed in pain and opened her eyes again.

"**Kamala I am fine it just stung a bit.**" She said as I checked her arm to see that it was broken I sighed.

"**Raissa I have to.**" I said she nodded I quickly reset it she did not make a sound I checked for a pulse to find one but it was weak. She was barely here.

"**We need to get her back to the camp now. I can only do so much here.**" Kamala said a sob caught in her throat I placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder she nodded before walking out of the tent. I gently lifted Raissa into my arms and carried her out Adair turned away and Kamala burst into tears Ankara held her close his own face pale. We rode quickly each second was one where Raissa crept away from us. Once we were at the camp I saw that it was night and not many people were awake.

"**We need to get her to Abdul now.**" Adair said quietly I quickly took a deep breath and hoped that Abdul was awake.

"_Bring her in._" He said I walked in and was shocked to see all the healers awake, Abdul took her from my arms and gently moved us out of the tent.

"**Now we wait.**" Ankara said I sighed but did agree.

"**Now we wait.**" I said hoping she would be alright.

"**Ardeth standing here will accomplish nothing. Go to your tent and rest.**" Kamala said I went to my tent but could not rest. Adair and Ankara walked in and sat on the floor soon followed by Kamala and Emir all were worried and pale.

"**We cannot sleep.**" They said but I understood their meaning they would not sleep until they knew of Raissa.

"**Abdul and the healers are doing all they can to help her I just pray it is enough.**" Emir said hours later as we all watched the sun rise it was comforting to know my friends were there for me but not seeing Raissa for hours was hurtful.

"**Oh I hate just standing here I feel useless.**" Kamala said as she started pacing again I rolled my eyes she had been doing that for awhile now.

"**Does she remind you of anyone?**"Emir asked making the rest of us smile.

"**Yes she is acting like Raissa.**" Adair said Kamala turned and smirked at us before standing beside Adair again.

"**I am sorry but I hate to see my friend lying hurt in a tent and I can do nothing to help her.**" She said before a laugh froze us in shock.

"**Wrong again.**" A voice said we turned to see Raissa standing in front of the opening a sling on her arm, bandages around her waist and her eye black but she still had a smile on her face.

"**Raissa are you alright?**" Kamala asked hugging her gently as well as looking over wounds.

"**Just fine now. Abdul said I will be here for a month or two then I am allowed to battle again. Kamala I fight to live and nothing keeps that from me.**" She said turning back at us Emir hugged her as tightly as the wounds would allow, Adair could not stop smiling and Ankara was laughing along with her.

"**Oh Emir your wife has been looking for you, Adair the healers want you and Ankara in their tent and Kamala is it not your turn to watch the children?**" Raissa said Emir smiled and left, Adair and Ankara groaned but did go, a hand flew to Kamala's mouth in shock and she quickly left. Raissa swayed and almost fell had she not caught herself I moved from her line of sight she sighed in annoyance.

"_He must still be with the healers. I will just have to wait._" Raissa muttered I gently wrapped an arm around her waist and twirled her once making her laugh hoping she knew I was never angry with her.

Chapter Twenty-Six

(Rick's eyes)

Five years later

"Rick could you come here for a minute?" Evie asked I quickly walked into her study loving how she looked as she read one of the many letters from Raissa.

"What is she telling us this time?" I asked dropping into the chair in front of her desk it had been awhile since I had last seen her.

"Look at it yourself you won't believe it." She said I chuckled before reading the letter I sat straight up and reread the middle line again to make sure I hadn't been seeing things.

"Ardeth and Raissa are married?" I said disbelievingly she nodded with a smile I sighed in shock. "Wow I never thought I would miss her wedding I mean she didn't miss ours." I sighed again before looking to see that Ardeth had written some of the letters as well.

"Rick she wrote that it was fine she knew we probably would be excavating tombs somewhere…" Evie trailed off as she read another letter her eyes going wide.

"What is it?" I asked hoping it wasn't bad news.

"She's expecting a child." She said barely above a whisper I felt as though I had just been hit in the head with a stone.

"Are you sure?" I asked my own voice low she nodded and stared at me. I could only imagine the shock and excitement on my sister's face when she had found that out.

"Are they visiting anytime soon?" I inquired after finding my normal voice again.

"In about a week by then she should be alright. Ardeth wrote that she had been feeling a bit ill but other then that they are happy with each other." Evie said standing behind me and placing her hands on my shoulders. But we jumped when we heard a knock at the front door I quickly rushed downstairs and opened it to see Ardeth and Raissa standing there each with a smile. Raissa's stomach was a bit swollen so we could definitely tell she was expecting a child.

"Your letters said you would be coming in a week?" I said questioningly as they stepped inside Raissa and Ardeth laughed.

"Those letters were sent two weeks ago you obviously did not check the dates." She said with a laugh as she hugged me then Evie I nodded at Ardeth who seemed to happily return the gesture before Evie hugged him tightly. He chuckled and hugged her back before we heard a drunken yell.

"Jonathan." Raissa groaned as she saw him with a bottle in his hand Ardeth gently pulled the bottle away as Raissa moved him over to the couch where he passed out.

"Where is Alex?" Ardeth asked when he noticed that he was not in the house.

"I think I saw him out in the garden when we got here." Raissa said before he rushed into the house Ardeth caught him as he ran towards him and laughed as he twirled him around in a circle. Raissa did the same with no trouble he smiled.

"I cannot believe she is my sister anymore she acts completely different." I said as Evie and I watched Ardeth and Raissa laugh at Alex's expression when they told him the news. Alex calmly walked into the kitchen.

"Is Aunt Raissa really going to have a baby?" He asked I nodded and brought out the letter so he could see it for himself. I smiled and looked at my sister only to see that she and Ardeth were not there.

"Where did they go?" Evie asked voicing my thoughts I shrugged before hearing laughter coming from outside we went to the window to see that they were walking in the garden Ardeth making Raissa laugh and giggle by talking or making her remember the adventures we had.

"Ardeth are you sure it was a good idea to give Alex that sword? I do not mind him having it but I wonder which parent will teach him." Raissa said we moved away when we saw how close they were to the window.

"Evelyn will be a good mentor Alex will learn to fight with it properly and I have no doubt your brother can teach him something as well." he said Raissa laughed at that.

"And I know what that will be how to fire a gun and that will be it." She said both laughed before they managed to stop.

"Well let us hope it does not come to down to only that." He said with a chuckle still in his voice Raissa giggled before stumbling.

"Are you alright?" Ardeth asked as she groaned.

"I am fine your son just kicked me." She said both laughed before walking away.

"Well they are happy I'll give them that." I said glad to see the smile on her face again. A snore from the other room got our attention we quickly woke him and managed to get him sobered up enough so that he could understand the news.

"Well at least they are happy." he said before passing out again. A week passed and soon it was time for them to leave again I quickly gave my sister the tightest hug I could.

"Rick I will be fine do not worry." She said messing my hair up I did the same to her before they left. A few more weeks passed by the end of the fourth week we had heard from Raissa again. She had given birth to a baby boy I smiled at the letter knowing this was going to be a perfect way to visit her someday when Alex was back from school.

(Raissa's eyes)

"**Kamala is this true?**" I asked when I had heard that she and Adair were getting married she nodded excitedly.

"**It just seems perfect.**" She said dreamily looking down at the ruby ring that adorned her finger I laughed a little before a cry made me turn and smile as I picked up my son and started rocking him. Ardeth and Ankara were laughing along with Adair and Emir it made me smile even more looking on at my husband and friends who were like family to me.

"**I have to say this has been a wonderful month.**" I said softly looking down at little Dasir who had his father's eyes. Kamala nodded with a smile her eyes never leaving the ring that bonded her to Adair.

"**Raissa everything is wonderful.**" Kamala said I nodded again before seeing that Adair was heading towards Kamala I quickly stepped out of the way and let him by. I heard Ardeth chuckle I looked at him with a smile glad to have a family to call my own it was a perfect life.

THE END


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